New Delhi: The Indian Navy has removed the captains of two frontline warships INS Talwar and INS Betwa, Captain Gopal Suri and Captain Deepak Bisht respectively from their positions.
A newspaper report said, both the captains have been stripped of their positions for serious lapses that led to accidents under their command.
A Navy spokesperson Captain PVS Satish however said, Captain Bisht's removal is not linked to the accident but was a routine transfer.
INS Talwar, a Russian-built stealth frigate, slammed into a trawler off the Ratnagiri coast on December 23 last year, sinking the boat and tossing 27 fishermen into the sea.
INS Betwa, a guided missile frigate, ran aground near the Mumbai naval base on January 4, damaging critical equipment and raising questions about the navy's safety record.
The reports of the boards of inquiry into the two accidents have been sent to the Western Naval Command chief Vice-Admiral Shekhar Sinha.
The Captains have been charged of lack of adequate supervision and non-compliance with naval procedure.
Both are likely to face a court martial which could lead to loss of seniority, privileges and even dismissal from service, if found guilty, the report said.
Captain Bisht is heading the probe into the explosion, fire and sinking of INS Sindhurakshak submarine in Mumbai that led to the loss of 18 navy personnel in August last year.
