Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday stated that the authorities have recovered the body of Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagaudar, the Indian student from the state who died in Russian shelling in Ukraine.

“I have spoken to the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in this regard. He has informed that the body has been embalmed and preserved at a mortuary. He has assured that as soon as the shelling is stopped, attempts will be made to bring it back to India,” he said.

“Continuous attempts are being made, the embassy officers have also told us that they are in touch with mortuary authorities where the body is kept,” he added.

Naveen Shekarappa Gyangaudar was killed on March 1 on Maha Shivratri after being hit by the Russian shelling. He had come out of his bunker in search of food early in the morning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called up Naveen’s father and consoled him. Shekarappa, Naveen’s father had requested the Prime Minister to arrange for safe passage of other students stuck in Ukraine as they are the assets of the country.

Naveen’s death has also raised questions on the cost of medical education in India and opposition parties in Karnataka are demanding scrapping of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in this regard. The ruling BJP government has granted compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the family of Naveen.

As many as 500 students from Karnataka have returned home from Ukraine since the war broke out. Manoj Rajan, nodal officer and commissioner, Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has stated that 142 students from the state are still stranded in war-torn Ukraine. The largest batch of students returned on Thursday. IANS