Naveen's body will be brought to India once shelling stops in Ukraine: Karnataka CM

Bengaluru, Mar 08: The body of Naveen Shekharappa, a 21-year-old medical student from Haveri, killed in Russian bombing in Ukraine last week, is in a mortuary in Kharkiv and will be flown back when the shelling stops, said Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday.

"The External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has informed us that Naveen's body has been embalmed and kept in a mortuary in Ukraine. His body will be brought to India once shelling stops there," Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters.

According to the Chief Minister's Office, Naveen is from Chalagere village of Ranebennur taluk in Haveri and he was studying medicine at the Kharkiv National Medical University for the past four years.

Naveen had stepped out from the Arkhitektora Beketova Metro station bunker to bring groceries following which he died in a shell attack on the streets of Kharkiv. The news of his death was conveyed to his family by a friend of his who is studying first year medicine.

"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," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

Naveen's body has been shifted to a mortuary in Kharkiv city. Since it is a war zone, the body cannot be brought back immediately. The MEA has assured that all efforts would be made to preserve the body and arrangements will be made to bring it back.