New Delhi: On January 19, US authorities in Minnesota State, near the US – Canada border, came across a group of people who were apparently without proper documentation, sources said on Saturday
According to sources, based on information obtained from them, Canadian authorities launched a search and found four bodies in Manitoba province on the Canadian side of the border.
These four people (a man, a woman, a teenage boy, an infant) appeared to have died due to the cold. The people without proper documentation on the US side, as well as the dead people on the Canadian side, appear to be Indian nationals.
However, further efforts are underway to identify them and confirm their nationalities. Post-mortem of the victims is likely to be carried out on January 24.
Also read: Family of four Indians frozen to death along US-Canada border
US authorities have detained seven people without proper documentation, as well as one US citizen, for allegedly being involved in human smuggling activity from Canada to the US. One of them is still hospitalized due to cold-related injuries (earlier one more person had been hospitalized).
Consulate General of India in Toronto immediately sent a consular team to Manitoba, which is now liaising with local authorities to render any consular help regarding the four dead people. The Consulate General as well as the High Commission in Ottawa are also in touch with Canadian provincial and federal authorities for ascertaining details of this tragedy.
On the US side, the Consulate General of India in Chicago has urgently sent a consular team to Minneapolis, which is now coordinating and rendering consular assistance. They have sought consular access to the detained persons. The Consulate and the Embassy in Washington D.C. are also in touch with the US Department of Justice, and the US Customs and Border Police.
Meanwhile, Indian Missions and Posts will continue to extend all assistance.
