Ukraine Crisis: Indian student killed in Kharkiv shelling

An Indian student was killed after being hit by shelling in Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine, the government said Tuesday.

“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. We convey our deepest condolences to the family,” tweeted Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

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.

“Naveen was shot dead around 10.30 am Ukrainian time today. He was standing in the queue before a grocery shop when the Russian army fired at people. We have no information about his body. None of us was able to visit the hospital, probably where it is kept now,” said Sridharan Gopalakrishnan, who was Naveen’s hostel mate.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai expressed his condolences over Gyanagouda’s death. Bommai told reporters he spoke to the student’s parents and that efforts are being made to bring his body to India.