CHENNAI: Gloom and devastation have filled the house of M Stephen at Eden Garden Street in Perambur in Chennai. His parents are inconsolable.
Their son was scheduled to arrive home 15 days ago, but stayed back after they advised him to, fearing the spike in Covid-19 positive cases in Chennai.
On Sunday morning, Stephen was among the four students from Tamil Nadu who drowned in the Volga River in Russia. All four were pursuing medicine at Volgograd Medical University. Stephen recently entered the third year and was on a semester break, said L Praveen Kumar, Stephen’s uncle.
"The Volga river is just 1.5 kilometers away from their University and the students used to visit the river during weekends. On Saturday night, at around 9.30 pm our time (7.30 pm their time), Stephen video-called his parents and said that he is heading to the river with his friends. Most of the students with him were from Tamil Nadu. In Russia, the sun sets only after 9 pm their time and they could see him clearly as he was walking along with his friends," said Praveen Kumar.
Stephen's parents Mohan Kumar and Bagyam didn't know then that this would be the last time they saw their son.
Since Stephen was on his semester break, he had originally planned to visit his parents and was scheduled to visit India at the end of July.
"His parents were scared of the rising number of Covid-19 cases in TN. Moreover, they thought he would have had to be quarantined in a separate facility for over 15 days after landing and would not be able to spend quality time with his family while he was here.
"Two of his friends from Chennai who were studying with him are here in the city presently and had come to visit the family. Stephen's parents are blaming themselves for not having asked him to come to India," said Praveen Kumar.
Stephen wanted to be a cardiologist, said his family members. He wanted to pursue his higher studies in India or in the United States.
Quoting a witness at the scene, his family members said that around ten students went to the river.
"At around 2.30 am in Russia, one of the students, Manoj Anand, was pulled into the river. While others backed off, Stephen, Mohammed Ashiq and Ramu Vignesh tried to help him but ended up drowning," said one of Stephen's family members.
The family has contacted the Indian Embassy in Russia to bring back the body of Stephen. But on Monday, the family members were told by officials in Russia that Stephen's insurance to stay in the country expired a few weeks ago.
"They told us to pay Rs 2.5 lakh to bring back the body. We are ready to pay the amount, but the paperwork is moving very slowly and we have sent a request to the State and Central Government to take steps to bring back the bodies of the deceased students," said Stephen’s uncle.