Amidst Russia’s ongoing attack on Ukraine, news of the death of an Indian student is coming in on Tuesday. An Indian student was killed during the firing in Kharkiv. The Foreign Ministry says that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine this morning. The ministry is in touch with his family. The name of the deceased is being told as Naveen. Naveen Shekharappa, an Indian student from Karnataka, was a fourth year student at Kharkiv National Medical University.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Naveen’s hostel mate Sreedharan Gopalakrishnan said, “Navien died in a gunfight this morning at around 10.30 am, Ukraine time. He was standing in line in front of a grocery store when the Russian army started firing on people. We have no information about Naveen’s body, neither of us could go to the hospital.”
Sridhar from Chennai said that he has now taken shelter in a hostel bunker and there is no news about his evacuation plan. “Only rumours, there was no communication from Indian authorities.” Naveen, stranded in Ukraine, spoke to his father on the phone two days ago. At the same time, a mountain of sorrow has broken on the family due to the news of Naveen’s death.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi has informed that the Foreign Secretary of India is in touch with the ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine in the matter of death of the Indian student. The demand has been raised by India that Indian students and citizens should be given a safe exit as many students are still stuck in Kharkiv and other cities.
In view of the intensifying attack by Russia in Ukraine, the Indian government has asked its citizens to leave Kyiv immediately. The Indian Embassy in Ukraine has issued an advisory asking all Indians to leave Kyiv immediately. If you get a train, leave Kyiv as soon as possible by train or whatever.