New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to the family of the 21-year-old Indian student killed in Russian shelling in Ukraine's Kharkiv city on Tuesday.
The deceased was identified as Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagoudar, a 4th-year student of Kharkiv National Medical University. He hailed from Chalageri village in the Haveri district of Karnataka. "With profound sorrow we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning. The Ministry is in touch with his family. We convey our deepest condolences to the family," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet earlier today.
Bagchi said that India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has called the Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine "to reiterate our demand for urgent safe passage for Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and cities in other conflict zones. Similar action is also being undertaken by our Ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine." MEA sources said that the deteriorating situation in Kharkiv is a matter of grave concern and the safety and security of Indian nationals in that city is of 'utmost priority' to the Indian government.
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Foreign Secretary is calling in Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine to reiterate our demand for urgent safe passage for Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and cities in other conflict zones.
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) March 1, 2022 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
Similar action is also being undertaken by our Ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine.
">Foreign Secretary is calling in Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine to reiterate our demand for urgent safe passage for Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and cities in other conflict zones.
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) March 1, 2022
Similar action is also being undertaken by our Ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine.Foreign Secretary is calling in Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine to reiterate our demand for urgent safe passage for Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and cities in other conflict zones.
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) March 1, 2022
Similar action is also being undertaken by our Ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine.
Prime Minister Modi spoke to the victim's father and extended his condolences to the family over Naveen's death. Several political leaders, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Shahi Tharoor, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also took to Twitter to extend their condolences.
"Received the tragic news of an Indian student Naveen losing his life in Ukraine. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. I reiterate, GOI needs a strategic plan for safe evacuation. Every minute is precious," Gandhi tweeted.
Also read: Leave Kyiv urgently, says India's advisory
According to the sources, Naveen was out buying groceries when the area was hit by Russians. "His body has been kept in a morgue. It is a war situation out there but we are trying to see if we can get his body back to India," the sources said. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has spoken to Naveen's family and assured all possible help from the government. Naveen had spoken to the family today morning.
About the evacuating Indians stranded in Ukraine, the sources revealed that preparations for evacuation have been in place for some time from the Indian side, with an Indian team positioned in the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the Ukrainian border. However, the sources revealed, the conflict situation in and around Kharkiv and nearby cities has been an obstacle in the process.
"We had already taken up the matter with the Russian and Ukrainian Embassies the pressing requirement of safe passage for Indian nationals, including students, from Kharkiv and other cities in conflict zones. This demand has been repeatedly made of Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of this conflict on February 24. It has been conveyed to both their Ambassadors in New Delhi as well as taken up in their capitals, MEA sources revealed.
Also read: IAF to deploy C-17 aircraft to speed up evacuation of Indian nationals in Ukraine
The sources claimed that over 9000 Indian nationals have been brought out of Ukraine while a considerable number are now in safer areas. It is imperative that Russia and Ukraine respond to our need for safe passage urgently. In places where the conflict has not endangered movement, we've been able to evacuate our citizens, MEA sources revealed.
On Monday, the MEA said that a total of 1,396 Indians have so far been brought back from Ukraine in six flights, including four from Bucharest and two from Budapest under 'Operation Ganga'. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the seventh Operation Ganga flight with 182 Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine reached Mumbai from Bucharest Romania.
