Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that he has received some photos of medical student Naveen Shekaragowda Gyanagouder who was killed in Russian shelling at Kharkiv in war-torn Ukraine.

Chief Minister asserted that the state government is working with the Centre to secure the dead body of Naveen which was kept in the morgue at Kharkiv, Naveen went to procure groceries and exchange currency, while he was standing in a queue before the supermarket, Russian shelling hit him.

Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister has said that Naveen’s friends have sent some photos after the shelling stopped at Kharkiv. I will talk to External Affairs Minister S.Jayashankar regarding bringing back Naveen’s body, Mr. Bommai said.

Chief Minister has defended the Centre’s action of evacuating the Indian nationals who were stranded in war-hit Ukraine. Indian government making all effort to bring back Indians from Ukraine, some 26 flights are scheduled to fly in the next 2-3 days. Karnataka will try to push bring back more Kannadigas who are stranded in Kyiv and Kharkiv cities, Mr. Bommai said.

The process of evacuation process is getting delayed.  The Indian government is in constant touch with the Ukrainian government, advised the students to go to safer places in a group. The Indian embassy also advised Indian students to come by train from Kharkiv to Kyiv.

Karnataka government has also enquired about the whereabouts of Naveen’s friends. All are safe and stayed in a bunker, the Chief Minister said.  

“Since it’s a war zone, we can’t definitely say how things will happen. The Centre has talked to the Ukraine government on making plans to move Indians to westward safe points away from the war zones,” Mr. Bommai replied to a question regarding evacuation of Indians.

Chief Minister hit out at the Congress for criticizing the Centre for not expediting evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine. If Congress is playing politics over war and death, they have stooped so low, he criticized.

During the UPA regime, war was taken place, the government has failed to evacuate Indian nationals in war-hit countries. Now India is making its best effort to bring back Indian nationals from Ukraine and send four of its ministers to neighbouring countries of Ukraine to coordinate with embassy officials. Next four-five days, more than 26 flights will bring Indians to the country, Mr. Bommai said.