Indian embassy in US sends consular team to coordinate, render assistance regarding 4 dead people
By Anish Kumar | First Published Jan 22, 2022, 3:19 PM ISTUS authorities in Minnesota State, near the US – Canada border on January 19,, came across a group of people who were apparently crossing the border without proper documentation.
New Delhi: The Indian embassy in the United States has sent a consular team to Minneapolis, where a group of Indian nationals have been detained after they entered into the US’ territory without proper documents.
Sources in the government establishment said, “The Consulate and the Embassy in Washington DC are also in touch with the US Department of Justice, and the US Customs and Border Police.”
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“The Consulate General of India in Chicago has urgently sent a consular team to Minneapolis, which is now coordinating and rendering consular assistance,” they said.
US authorities in Minnesota State, near the US – Canada border on January 19,, came across a group of people who were apparently crossing the border without proper documentation.
Based on information obtained from them, “Canadian authorities launched a search and found four bodies in Manitoba province on the Canadian side of the border.”
These four people (a man, a woman, a teenage boy, an infant) appeared to have died due to the cold.
As per the sources, the people without proper documentation on the US side, as well as the dead people on the Canadian side, appear to be Indian nationals.”
Also read: Four Indians, including baby and teen freeze to death near US-Canada border
“Post-mortem of the victims is likely to be carried out on January 24,” they said.
A total of seven people without valid documents have been detained. Among them, one US citizen was also detained for allegedly being involved in human smuggling activity from Canada to the US.
“One of them is still hospitalized due to cold-related injuries (earlier one more person had been hospitalized),” they said.
Consulate General of India in Toronto immediately sent a consular team to Manitoba, which is now liaising with local authorities to render any consular help regarding the four dead people.
“The Consulate General as well as the High Commission in Ottawa are also in touch with Canadian provincial and federal authorities for ascertaining details of this tragedy,” they said.
On Friday, Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar asked the Indian ambassadors to the US and Canada to respond to the incident.
In a tweet, Jaishankar said, “Shocked by the report that 4 Indian nationals, including an infant, have lost their lives at the Canada-US border. Have asked our Ambassadors in the US and Canada to urgently respond to the situation.”
Indian High Commissioner to Canada Ajay Bisaria termed the incident as a “grave tragedy”.
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