Ukraine war hits home: 21-year-old student from Karnataka is killed

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The student has been identified as Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagoudar, 21, from Karnataka. He was a fourth-year medical student at the Kharkiv National Medical University in Kharkiv

More than a week into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, India’s worst fears came true when a 21-year-old Indian medical student in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv near the Russian border was killed on Tuesday, marking the country’s first casualty in the war.

Indian officials identified the victim as Naveen S G, a fourth-year MBBS student at Kharkiv National Medical University who hailed from Chalageri village in Karnataka’s Haveri district. They said he was killed in shelling. But a former hostel mate of Naveen in Kharkiv cited other members of the student community there as saying that he was hit in firing by the Russian army outside a grocery store.

It is said Naveen, who stepped out from ArkhitektoraBeketova Metro station bunker to bring groceries, died in a shell attack on the street of Kharkiv. One of his friends from Ranebennur Praveen who is also studying first-year medicine informed this to the deceased family member. The incident took place around 7 am of local Ukraine time.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi confirmed the death and tweeted “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.”

Deceased Naveen’s friends confirmed to his family members that the body has been shifted to a mortuary in Kharkiv city.

Family members in Chalageri are very depressed, villagers, friends and relatives gathered in front of his house in the village.

Speaking to a cousin of Naveen MEA officials confirmed the death and said when Naveen stepped out to buy groceries, there was shelling  and unfortunately he was killed. “As it is a war zone they are not able to bring the body now. They will make all efforts to preserve the body and bring it back to India as early as possible ”, said the MEA office.