Mortal remains of Indian student killed in Ukraine to reach Bengaluru on Monday
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The mortal remains of Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudarm, a final year medical student of Kharkiv Medical University who died in a shelling attack in Ukraine, will arrive at the Bengaluru airport on March 21, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.
"Naveen's body will arrive in Bengaluru on Monday at 3 AM," Bommai said in a tweet.
On March 1, 21-year-old Naveen, a student from Chalageri village in Karnataka, had stepped out of the bunker he had taken shelter in, to go to a nearby supermarket to buy food. He was standing in a queue at the supermarket in Kharkiv when he was killed in heavy shelling.
The store from where Naveen went was just 50 metres from the bunker. Naveen's friend Srikanth had told India Today that Naveen had gone out when the curfew was in effect.
Earlier on March 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed authorities to make all possible efforts to bring back the mortal remains of Naveen. Karnataka CM Bommai had also said previously on March 5 that a ceasefire announcement by Russia has raised hopes of bringing back Naveen's body to India. Bommai visited Naveen's family in his village in the Haveri district. Naveen, a medical student, was the first Indian citizen to die in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Political leaders cutting across political lines had condemned the student's death on the 6th day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Naveen's parents have decided to donate their son's body for medical research. In an interview with ANI news agency, Shankarappa, father of Naveen said, "My son wanted to achieve something in the medical field, that didn't happen. At least his body can be used by other medical students for studies. That's why, we at home, have decided to donate his body for medical research".
Naveen's father added, "My son's body will reach Bengaluru on 21st at 3 am. From there the body will reach our village by 9 am. Then we'll perform Pooja as per the Veera Shaiva tradition then we'll keep it for the public view and then we'll donate the body to SS Hospital Davanagere for medical studies".