Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said he is constantly in touch with the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to bring back the mortal remains of Naveen Shekharappa, the 21-year-old medical student who died in shelling in Ukraine earlier in the day.
Bommai took to Twitter to express his shock at the student’s death in Kharkiv in Russian shelling and extended his condolences to the youth’s family.
Speaking to reporters, the chief minister said two others were present with the deceased Indian student at the time of shelling. “One of them also got injured. They are from Chalageri and Ranebennur taluks of Haveri district (in Karnataka)," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking to reporters, the chief minister said two others were present with the deceased Indian student at the time of shelling. “One of them also got injured. They are from Chalageri and Ranebennur taluks of Haveri district (in Karnataka)," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
{{/usCountry}}Bommai further said he knew Shekharappa’s family and was “very close” to them. “The PM (Narendra Modi) has spoken to the family. We will try our best to bring back the body to India. I have requested the PMO and MEA to help us to recover mortals,” he added.
Foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the youth’s body was taken to the morgue in a university and would soon be brought back to the country. “Spoke to his parents in Karnataka earlier today. We'll not only try to evacuate our nationals from the conflict zones as soon as possible, but also bring back Shekharappa's body. We are in touch with local authorities in this regard,” Shringla said during a press conference.
The student’s death, the first Indian casualty in war-hit Ukraine, was confirmed by the MEA earlier in the day. The MEA said India has reiterated its demands for “urgent safe passage of all nationals who are still in Kharkiv and cities in other conflict zones”.
Shringla had first made the demand during his independent meetings with the Russian and Ukrainian envoys on Sunday. Shekharappa lost his life when he was standing outside a grocery store close to an administrative building in Kharkiv that was blown up by Russian forces.
Modi also spoke to Shekharappa's father, followed by a high-level meeting - third in three days in a row on the Russian-Ukraine conflict and evacuation of stranded Indians. Titled ‘Operation Ganga’, India has launched a massive mission to bring back its citizens from the ear-torn east European country.