New Delhi, May 24
A Captain of the Indian Navy, equal to a Colonel, has been found guilty of negligence that led to the death of a young officer on board a warship in December 2011 by a naval court martial.

Captain Rahul Parmar has been punished with a reduction in seniority for three years and loss of associated benefits, virtually ending his career in the force where seniority and merit are the criteria to pick up promotions. This also means six batches of juniors have automatically superseded him.

Sources confirmed that a board of inquiry had recommended a court martial, which found Captain Parmar guilty. Parmar was commanding frontline frigate INS Talwar when a young officer, Sub-Lieutenant Vipin Kumar, died during a swimming drill in the high seas off the coast of Gujarat on December 29, 2011. The Navy had immediately removed Capt Parmar from his command and started the probe.

The young trainee officer was asked to take part in what is known as a "sea-surviving drill", where the scenario of a sinking ship is simulated. As part of the drill, Sub-Lieutenant Vipin Kumar had to swim 50 metres from the ship. Vipin Kumar did not surface after jumping into the Arabian Sea.

Several ships were pressed into service to locate the trainee officer, who was the son of an Army Havildar. He was one of the youngest officers on the ship and it was his first assignment after passing out of the Naval training academy.

Before being posted on INS Talwar, Capt Parmar was Director (Naval Operations) at the Naval Headquarters.