Trying to find details of student injured in Ukraine: Karnataka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the government is trying to find out details about the student from Haveri district who was reportedly injured due to the shelling by Russian forces in Ukraine's Kharkiv city.

On Tuesday, 22-year-old Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagouda was India's first tragic casualty in the ongoing military offensive in the eastern European country.

To a query on the condition of the injured person in the shelling that killed Naveen, Bommai said he is trying to gather the details.

"I am trying to find out. One report says that the person is safe as he was not with him, another report says he is injured. We are waiting for confirmation," Bommai said.

On Tuesday, Bommai had said two students from Chalageri village in Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district were also there during the attack.

"One is injured while the other is safe," Bommai had said.

State government officials were in touch with the Indian Embassy in Ukraine, he had said

Meanwhile, the father of a students stranded in Ukraine said their children and workers from India, along with a large number of people from other countries, were marching on Wednesday in Kharkiv towards the nearest railway station, risking their lives holding the Indian national flag.

"About 1,000 people, including 700 Indians, are marching towards the railway station holding the Indian flag. They are going to the railway station, which is seven kilometres from their bunker, by walk as no vehicles are available," Venkatesh Vaishyar told PTI.

Venkatesh's son Amit V Vaishyar, 23, is a fifth-year medical student in Kharkiv Medical College.

He is among three students from Chalageri in Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district studying MBBS in Kharkiv Medical College.

Amit's cousin Suman, 24, son of Sridhar Murthy Vaishyar, is also a student there and both of them are trying to return from the strife-torn country.

"Students have no option but to take the risk as they don't have food and water. They are relying on God now and walking towards the railway station," Venkatesh said.

With tears in his eyes, he said Amit is his only son and if something happens to him he will not be able to live.

A day after his son's death, Naveen's father Shekarappa Gyanagouda broke down as he saw the photograph of his body on WhatsApp, which is in a morgue in Kharkiv.

Naveen is the second son of Gyanagouda. His elder brother Harsha is an MSc in Agriculture and is with the parents.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday told reporters in Bengaluru that he will make sincere efforts to bring Naveen's body back to India.

"I will speak to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the Indian Embassy in Ukraine to get updates of the efforts to get Naveen's body. We will make a serious effort," Bommai said.

According to him, the Indian officials have intensified their efforts to evacuate people stranded in Kharkiv, especially students.

Bommai said 26 aircraft would be pressed into service to bring the stranded people back to India. The students have been asked to come from different directions.

Since the war is raging, evacuation is a bit problematic, Bommai said adding that the Ukrainian authorities have asked the evacuees to form groups and march towards the railway station.

The chief minister said efforts have been made to slowly evacuate people.

Regarding compensation to Naveen's family, Bommai said the government can do anything but the priority right now is to bring the body to India.

"Whatever is in our hand we will do it. We will certainly give compensation. The family is in pain. We have to get the body first for which we have intensified our efforts," Bommai said.

Another unidentified student from Haveri district sustained injuries due to the shelling in Kharkiv, Bommai had said on Tuesday.

• Russia Attacks Ukraine