Following the tragic discovery of four frozen bodies, apparently of Indian nationals, on the Canadian side of the US-Canada border on Wednesday and the detention of seven persons without proper documentation by US authorities in Minnesota State, the Indian Missions in Canada and the US have sprung into action liaising with local authorities to render consular help, according to 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. However, further efforts are underway to identify them and confirm their nationalities. Post-mortem of the victims is likely to be carried out on January 24,” the source tracking the matter told BusinessLine.
On the US side, the Consulate General of India in Chicago has urgently sent a consular team to Minneapolis, which is now coordinating and rendering consular assistance, the source said.
“The Indian mission has sought consular access to the detained persons. 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,” the source added.
On January 19, US authorities in Minnesota State, near the US–Canada border, came across a group of people who were apparently without proper documentation. They informed the authorities that were others on the Canadian side who had lagged behind. Based on the information, Canadian authorities launched a search and found four bodies in Manitoba province on the Canadian side of the border. These four dead persons, including a man, woman, teenage boy, and an infant, appeared to have succumbed to the cold.
“The 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, is also in touch with Canadian provincial and federal authorities for ascertaining details of this tragedy,” the source said.
Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar took to Twitter on Friday to comment on the unfortunate incident. “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,” he tweeted.