Guwahati: An Indian student was killed in shelling in Kharkiv city of Ukraine on Tuesday.
The deceased has been identified as Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagoudar who is a resident of Haveri district in Karnataka.
The ministry is said to be in touch with the student’s family.
It needs to be noted that the 21-year-old was a student of medicine at Kharkiv National Medical University.
Sharing the news on Twitter, External Affairs Ministery Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi wrote, ““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.”
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.
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) March 1, 2022
He further stated that the foreign secretary is in contact with Russian and Ukrainian ambassadors in order to secure immediate safe passage for Indian people stuck in Kharkiv and other war zones.
“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. Similar action is also being undertaken by our Ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine,” the ministry added.
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.
Similar action is also being undertaken by our Ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine.
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) March 1, 2022
Reacting to the news, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, “This is an awful tragedy. My heart goes out to the family of the victim and the anxious families of all those still stuck in Ukraine. We must do everything possible to get them home.”
This is an awful tragedy. My heart goes out to the family of the victim and the anxious families of all those still stuck in Ukraine. We must do everything possible to get them home. https://t.co/nmwAu9jL6F
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 1, 2022
“Similar action is also being undertaken by our Ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine,” the MEA added.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged the central government to quickly return Indians stuck in Ukraine and give them with all necessary assistance.
After a news report suggested that Indians trapped in Ukraine were not receiving assistance from the Indian embassy in Ukraine, Kejriwal made his remarks.
“Amid adverse circumstances in Ukraine, Indian students along with other Indians are facing difficult conditions. Request the Indian government to bring back all Indians from Ukraine a soon as possible by extending them all possible help. The Delhi government is with the central government for all sort of cooperation,” Kejriwal wrote on Twitter.
In the tweet, he also included a news item alleging that Indians in Ukraine were not receiving the assistance they needed from the Indian embassy.
On February 26, India began evacuating approximately 14,000 of its stranded people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructed the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine as a result of Russia’s military onslaught against that country.
According to reports, the IAF will begin deploying multiple C-17 aircraft as part of Operation Ganga on Tuesday.
Because Ukrainian airspace has been closed since February 24, only private Indian carriers have been evacuating Indians from Romania and Hungary, nations with land borders with Ukraine on the western side.