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Protest in Delhi Linked to US Naval Strikes and Maritime Incidents

Monday, June 15, 2026
5 min read
Protest in Delhi Linked to US Naval Strikes and Maritime Incidents

The scene in Delhi is wild right now. Auto-rickshaw drivers, you know, they’re tearing down posters. Posters of Donald Trump. It’s happening on their vehicles. A protest, obviously, after some nasty news about a US strike off Oman that supposedly killed three Indian sailors. Videos are flooding social media, showing the anger, the removal of those American portraits.

It connects to this whole thing they were doing before. That whole outreach campaign, “#Freedom250.” It was supposed to be celebrating something, you know? The 250th anniversary for the United States. They put these things up everywhere. Trump stuff, flags, symbols. About a hundred auto-rickshaws across the capital had them plastered on there.

But that celebration just curdled into rage once the actual event happened. Three Indian sailors died. That’s what they say. On June 10th, US forces hit the Palau-flagged oil tanker, the MT Settebello. Twenty-four Indian crew were aboard. Twenty-one survived, but three… gone. Patnala Suresh, Aditya Sharma, Shivanand Chaurasia. Names that stick with you.

People are watching these videos online now. Drivers are tearing stuff down. Some crowds even cheering them on. One driver, he was talking in the videos, something like, “They are killing our Indians over there.” And then some warning others not to put American messages on their autos. It’s a mess of anger and resentment spilling out onto the streets.

The whole setup felt strange. This campaign started back in May. The US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, launched it. Trying to push this idea of American independence celebrations across different countries. Images of Trump, the flag, all that stuff on the backs of those rickshaws. It was meant to be promotional. A soft thing.

But then you have the reality hitting. Those strikes weren't isolated incidents. This wasn't just about a party. The Settebello attack wasn't the first time things went south with US naval activity in that area. There were other attacks reported before and after it too. Remember that? June 8th, for instance. That was when another tanker, the Marivex, which also carried twenty-four Indian seafarers, got disabled by US forces. Thankfully, everyone on board made it out safe then.

And there was that third one. After Settebello. Another vessel, the Jalveer, targeted off Oman. Reports say this whole series of strikes involved ships carrying Indian crews operating around the Gulf of Oman. It just keeps piling up. One after another.

India has spoken up about all this. They said those three separate hits Settebello, Marivex, and Jalveer came from the US Navy. And they lodged a massive protest with Washington over it. A strong one, apparently.

It’s not just about posters anymore, is it? It’s about these voyages. The loss of life in the Gulf region. All tied back to this kind of military action. It creates this real friction between what happens on the water and what’s happening here on land with all those demonstrations going on. It's complex. Very messy.

Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board

Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.

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