Putting efforts to bring Naveen's body back to India: MEA

PTI Photo

Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said that the Indian authorities have contacted the Ukrainian Embassy and the efforts to bring Naveen Shekharappa’s body back to India are on. “We have contacted the Ukrainian Embassy and are putting efforts to bring Naveen's dead body back to India,” Bagchi said.

Naveen Shekharappa, a medical student from Karnataka's Haveri, was killed when the Russian soldiers blew up a government building in Ukraine’s Kharkiv. Naveen was standing outside a grocery store when he was hit. Naveen’s mortal remains was taken to a morgue in university. 

Earlier, Foreign Secretary H V Shringla had said that India would try to bring back Naveen's body. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Naveen's father, and offered his condolences.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said they were trying their best to recover Naveen's body and bring it back to India. "I know his family. They are very close to me. The PM had spoken to the family. We will try our best to recover the body and bring it back to India. I have requested the PMO and MEA to help us to recover mortals," he said.