Russia to probe Indian student Naveen’s death in Kharkiv: Envoy

New Delhi: Russia on Wednesday said it will investigate the death of the 21-year-old Indian medical student during the shelling in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Tuesday, Russian Ambassador-designate Denis Alipov has said.

Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar was killed during intense shelling the east Ukraine city, when he went out to get food. According to Naveen’s friends, he had gone to get groceries and was standing in queue outside a shop when he was hit. Eyewitnesses have said that the Russians blew up a nearby government building.

Following the death of Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, a fourth-year medical student at the Kharkiv National Medical University, the Centre urged the envoys of both Russia and Ukraine to ensure “urgent safe passage” to Indian nationals who are still in the conflict zone.

The deceased student Naveen hailed from Chalageri in the Haveri district of Karnataka.

Russian Ambassador-designate Denis Alipov on Wednesday at a media briefing said, “I want to express our sympathy to the family of Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar and to the entire Indian nation over the tragedy.”

“Russia will do everything it possibly can to ensure the safety of Indian citizens in the areas of intense conflict...and a proper investigation of this unfortunate incident,” Alipov said at a media briefing.

On Tuesday night, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had said the circumstances of his death are not absolutely clear.

He had said, Naveen’s body has been identified and taken to a morgue in the university and that Indian authorities are in touch with the local administration in Kharkiv to bring back the mortal remains.

There have been more than 300 civilian casualties in Ukraine since Russian forces invaded the country on February 24 after months of tension over Ukraine's proximity to NATO.