Indian embassy did not reach out to students in Kharkiv, alleges father of boy killed in shelling

Haveri: No one from the Indian Embassy reached out to stranded Indian students in Kharkiv in Ukraine, where a Karnataka native pursuing medicine was killed in shelling amid a Russian military offensive, the victim's father alleged on Tuesday. Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar from the district was killed when he stepped out of his bunker to exchange currency and fetch some food, his uncle Ujjanagouda claimed.

The victim's residence in Chalageri in this district slipped into gloom upon receiving the news of their child killed in the faraway European nation, with a large number of people thronging the house to console the bereaved family.

The boy's father Gyanagoudar complained that no one from the Indian embassy reached the students stuck in Kharkiv, which is witnessing hostilities. His family members said Naveen was in the fourth year of his course in the Kharkiv medical college.

Ujjanagouda said Naveen along with others from Karnataka was stuck in a bunker in Kharkiv. He had gone out in the morning to exchange currency and to fetch some food when he was caught shelling happened, in which he was killed instantaneously.

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On Tuesday when he rang up his father, Naveen said there was no food and water in the bunker, Ujjanagouda stated. Learning about the tragedy, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai called up Gyanagoudar over phone and expressed his sorrow. Bommai assured Gyanagoudar he would make every effort to bring back his son's body to India.

He also told him that he is touch with the officials in the external affairs ministry. The bereaved father told Bommai that Naveen had called him in the morning as well. Daily the son used to ring him up at least two to three times, he told the Chief Minister.