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Student killed in ukraine:Naveen’s mother urges govt to bring back body
Naveen, a fourth-year medical student at Kharkiv National Medical University was killed on Tuesday when he stepped out of his apartment and went to a nearby supermarket to buy some provisions for himself and those bunked with him.
The mother of Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, who was killed in a suspected Russian missile trike in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, on Wednesday made an emotional plea to bring the mortal remains of her 21-year-old son home.
“We could not see our son alive, at least his body should be brought back at the earliest. Since yesterday, you (the media) have been running around this. Had you done the same a week ago, my son would have returned alive,” the mother said in Haveri, about 300 kms from Bengaluru.
Naveen, a fourth-year medical student at Kharkiv National Medical University was killed on Tuesday when he stepped out of his apartment and went to a nearby supermarket to buy some provisions for himself and those bunked with him.
He became the first Indian casualty in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
On Tuesday, the victim’s father, Shekharappa Gyandagoudar, appealed to the government to bring back his son’s body and requested them to look into the problems of medical education.
“Kindly look into the matter, and donation is very bad. Intelligent students are going abroad to study. (If) they plan to get their education here, they have to pay crores to get that seat. They are getting better education abroad ...my son got 97% in PUC (pre-university),” he said.
The plea by the mother comes even as at least 3,000-5,000 Indian students are still trapped in Kharkiv, one of the biggest university towns in the eastern European country.
“Because of our government, the lives of 2500 students are in danger. We don’t know if we will survive or not. We are running to save our lives,” said one student on a call with HT from Ukraine.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that the government is trying to find out details about the student from the Haveri district. Media reports indicate that another student who was with Naveen was also injured.
“I am trying to find out. One report says that the person is safe as he was not with him, another report says he is injured. We are waiting for confirmation,” Bommai said.
“Bringing home the mortal remains of Naveen, the Karnataka student who lost his life in the war zone of Ukraine, is the top priority for the State government. All help and cooperation would be extended to Naveen’s family,” he said.
Bommai added that some of Naveen’s friends have sent a few photographs of a body with a dress resembling what Naveen was wearing. “However, it has to be confirmed with the External Affairs Minister and the officials of the Indian Embassy in Ukraine. Serious efforts are being made to bring Naveen’s body back home,” the chief minister said.
The Indian embassy in Ukraine has shared an urgent advisory to all students to flee from Kharkiv.
“Urgent Advisory to All Indian Nationals in Kharkiv. For their safety and security, they must leave Kharkiv immediately. Proceed to Pesochin, Babaye and Bezlyudovka as soon as possible. Under all circumstances, they must reach these settlements by 1800 hrs (Ukrainian time) today,” according to a statement by the Embassy of India in Kyiv, Ukraine on Wednesday evening.
While several students have managed to make it to neighbouring countries like Moldova, Poland and Romania, several others are still trapped in bunkers or their homes.
Of the estimated 20,000 Indians, including students, who were trapped in Ukraine at the start of the Russian offensive there, 60 per cent have crossed Ukrainian borders and are safe with efforts underway to rescue the remaining people, the Centre told the Kerala High Court on Wednesday.
The central government further told the high court that under ‘Operation Ganga’, in addition to commercial aircraft, Indian Air Force flights have also been pressed into operation to evacuate the Indians who have crossed into neighbouring countries.
About the students stranded in war-hit Kharkiv, the government said the situation there was volatile as the city was under heavy shelling and it was, therefore, advisable for our students to stay put wherever they are for their physical safety.
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