CHALAGERI(HAVERI DIST): Chalageri village near the toll on the Pune-Bengaluru national highway, was plunged into sorrow as news of Naveen’s death spread. The villagers, who assembled near the boy’s father Shekhar’s house, felt that the Union Government should have focused on evacuating Indian nationals from the most affected eastern parts of Ukraine alongside.
Attributing Naveen’s death to “diplomatic negligence”, they claimed that this led to students suffering and spending sleepless nights in bunkers. “At least now, the government should deploy more flights to airlift stranded Indians by holding talks with both the Ukrainian and Russian governments,” said Siddalingappa.
The villagers and Naveen’s family also vented their anger at Lok Sabha member Shivakumar Udasi and said that the MP didn’t help in getting Naveen back. However, the anger died down after Shivakumar Udasi, along with Ranebennur MLA Arunkumar Pujar, arrived at Shekhar Gyana Goudar’s residence and condoled the death of Naveen.
Meanwhile, two other students from the village — Amith and Suman — are stuck in Kharkiv city but are said to be safe. Naveen had apparently called Amith to transfer some money to his account for purchasing food items as he had insufficient funds. However, within minutes, Naveen died.
Yeshwanth, who also hails from Karnataka, had accompanied Naveen to the supermarket, but returned to the bunker on seeing long queues. Later, when he called Naveen, a Ukrainian answered the phone and informed that Naveen was no more and that the body had been shifted to a mortuary.
‘Only God can save our children’
Sridhar’s son Suman and nephew Amith too were with Naveen in the same bunker. He told media persons, “The unfortunate death of Naveen has created panic among us. We are now praying to God for the safety of our children.”
He alleged that MP Shivakumar Udasi did not answer his or his children’s calls nor replied to messages sent by them. A memorandum given to Union minister Pralhad Joshi too did not get any positive response, he rued.