Efforts on to bring back Naveen’s mortal remains: Bommai

Karnataka chief minister (CM) Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said that all efforts are being pursued to bring back the mortal remains of 21-year-old Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, the fourth-year medical student who was killed in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war

Karnataka chief minister (CM) Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said that all efforts are being pursued to bring back the mortal remains of 21-year-old Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, the fourth-year medical student who was killed in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Chief minister Basavaraja Bommai welcomes medical student Chaitra Gangadhar returning from war-torn Ukraine, at Hubli airport, in Dharwad on Sunday. (ANI)

Naveen, resident of Haveri district in Karnataka, was killed in Kharkiv,Ukraine.

“As for getting the mortal remains of Naveen Gyanagoudar, information is being obtained about the mortuary where his body has been kept. Efforts are on to bring his mortal remains with assistance from the Indian Embassy,” Bommai said.

Naveen, a fourth-year medical student at Kharkiv National Medical University was killed on Tuesday when he stepped out of his apartment to buy some provisions for himself and those bunked with him.

Naveen was the first Indian casualty in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

While several students have managed to make it to neighbouring countries like Maldova, Poland and Romania, many are still trapped there.

“All measures are being taken to bring state students back home safely from Ukraine,” Bommai said as he took part in a ceremony to welcome Chaitra Gangadhar, a medical student, from Yaraguppi village of Kundagol taluk in Dharwad district, who returned safely from Ukraine.

“Chaitra was studying medicine in Kharkiv province of Ukraine. Many Indian students are stranded in the war zone of Ukraine. Chaitra took shelter in a bunker for seven days and had to walk 9 km to cross the Ukraine border to enter Poland. She returned home with assistance from the Indian Embassy,” the CM said.

Her parents appreciated the efforts of the Union government in bringing Chaitra back, Bommai said.

“About 200 students from Karnataka are stranded in Kharkiv and taking shelter in bunkers. The Indian Embassy is trying to bring them back. We are in touch with the Union external affairs minister in this regard. Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi himself is monitoring it. A huge operation to airlift the students is also on. It is being made possible due to the cordial relations of the PM with various countries,” Bommai said.

Students who have returned are concerned with the loss of their professional education.

Bommai said that a suitable decision would be taken after consulting with the Union government in the coming days.