Indian student Naveen Shekharappa was killed in a bomb blast in Ukraine’s Kharkiv after he left his bunker to buy food.
Naveen Shekharappa originally from Haveri, Karnataka was a medical student in Ukraine who got killed in a bomb blast in Ukraine’s Kharkiv: Indian student was killed during shelling in Kharkiv on Tuesday morning.
According to students there, Naveen Shekharappa, a fourth-year student at the Kharkiv National Medical University was living in the bunker below his flat. Naveen had gone out to buy food when the blast occurred in the city center, reported his friends.
“One of his friends received a call from his mobile. At the other end was a Ukrainian national who said there has been a blast and he has been to the morgue in an ambulance. The students are now inconsolable,” said a student coordinator at the university. Naveen was living in a flat in the city centre along with his friends.
Sources say he is from Chalagere village in the Haveri district. The news has created panic among Indian students in Kharkiv who have now been asked to remain in the bunkers and not venture out.
His friends said they have been seeking help from the embassy on safe evacuation but have not received any response.
“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,” said the ministry of external affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
He also said, “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.”
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
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the father of the Indian student and offered his heartfelt condolences to the family following the tragedy.
It is advisable now in the heat of the war for students to remain in their bunkers and only get out to get food, etc when the shelling stops.