After 4 Indians froze to death on the US-Canada border, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar called special envoys
New York:
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Friday expressed shock after a family of four Indian nationals, including an infant, froze to death along the US-Canada border in what authorities believe that it was a failed border crossing attempt during a cold blizzard, and instructed the Indian ambassadors to the US and Canada to urgently respond to the situation.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba (RCMP) on Thursday said the bodies of four people – two adults, a teenager and an infant – were found on the Canadian side of the US-Canada border near Emerson today. Wednesday.
“Shocked by reports that 4 Indian nationals, including an infant, have lost their lives at the Canada-US border. Have asked our Ambassadors to the US and Canada to urgently respond to the situation,” Jaishankar wrote on Twitter.
Shocked by the news that 4 Indian citizens, including an infant, lost their lives at the Canada-US border. Have asked our Ambassadors to the US and Canada to respond to the situation urgently.
– Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 21, 2022
Mr. Jaishankar spoke with Indian Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu and India’s High Commissioner to Canada Ajay Bisaria. Ambassador Sandhu said this is an unfortunate and tragic incident.
“We are in contact with US authorities regarding their ongoing investigation. A consular team from @IndiainChi Chicago will travel to Minnesota today to coordinate and provide any assistance needed. “, he tweeted.
An unfortunate and tragic incident. We are in contact with US authorities regarding their ongoing investigation. A group of consuls from @IndiainChi Chicago going to Minnesota today to coordinate and provide any assistance needed https://t.co/syyA59EoB2
– Taranjit Singh Sandhu (@SandhuTaranjitS) January 21, 2022
India’s High Commissioner to Canada Bisaria said it was a grave tragedy. An Indian consular team today will travel from @IndiainToronto to Manitoba to coordinate and help,” he tweeted.
“We will be working with Canadian authorities to investigate these disturbing events,” he wrote.
According to court documents, US Border Patrol (USBP) officials in North Dakota stopped a 15-passenger van just south of the Canadian border on Wednesday.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota issued a statement late Thursday afternoon and said the driver was identified as Steve Shand, 47, of Florida, who was arrested and charged with person-smuggling related. to the case.
Law enforcement officials have also identified that there are two undocumented Indian nationals, the Justice Department said.
Court documents say law enforcement officials discovered cases of plastic cups, bottled water, bottled juice and snacks lying in the back of a passenger van.
They also discovered a receipt dated January 18, 2022 for drinks and snacks, and a rental car rental receipt with Shand’s name on it for the truck, with the return date listed as January 20. 2022.
As they were returning the trio to a border patrol station in North Dakota, officers encountered another group of five Indian nationals walking.
They told them they had walked across the border and were expecting to be picked up by someone.
The group said they estimated they had walked more than 11 hours and appeared to be heading to an unmanaged gas plant located in St. Vincent, Minnesota.
A team member is carrying a backpack that doesn’t belong to him.
He told authorities that he was carrying a backpack for a family of four Indian nationals who had previously been with his group but was separated at night.
The backpack contains baby clothes, diapers, toys, and some baby medicine.
According to court documents, on January 19, USBP received a report from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that four bodies were found frozen just inside the international border on the Canadian side.
The corpses were identified as a separated family of four.
Two of the Indian nationals who survived were seriously injured and taken to hospital.
Shand was charged with knowing or recklessly the fact that a foreign national had entered, entered, or remained in the United States in violation of the law, transported and moved, or attempted to transport such nationals.
He made his first appearance today before Judge Hildy Bowbeer of the United States District Court.
Shand has been ordered to remain in custody pending a preliminary investigation and detention hearing, which is currently scheduled for January 24.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)