Newsie Events:
Frozen Bodies of four Indian nationals were found in Manitoba near the Canada-United States border last week.
Initially, the identities of the bodies were not known when they were found.
However, Officials in Canada, said they have confirmed the identities to be that of Indian nationals.
The High Commission of India in Ottawa on Thursday released a statement saying the four who died were Jagdish Baldevbhai Patel, a 39-year-old man, Vaishaliben Jagdishkumar Patel, a 37-year-old woman, Vihangi Jagdishkumar Patel, an 11-year-old girl, and Dharmik Jagdishkumar Patel, a three-year-old boy.
The immediate family’s relatives have been informed, the High Commission said in its statement, highlighting the need “to ensure that migration and mobility are made safe and legal and that such tragedies do not recur”.
According to Investigators, the family of four had attempted to cross over the border by foot on January 19 during severe winter weather and died from exposure.
“They got separated from the group of 18 people and were probably caught in a blizzard, that resulted in a tragedy”
Last week, Canada had witnessed a heavy blizzard which the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described as “mind-blowing”.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) , while narrating their observation, said they believe the family arrived in Canada on January 12, first
reaching Toronto, and then travelled to Emerson, Manitoba, around January 18.
Rob Hill, a criminal operations officer, said, “No vehicle was abandoned near the border, suggesting someone dropped them off and left”
The RCMP in Manitoba said they found the four bodies near Emerson after the US border patrol agents advised them they had picked up a group of Indian nationals on the US side.
Meanwhile, a special team, led by a senior consular officer from the Consulate General of India, is in Manitoba to help with investigations on the Canadian side and to offer services for the victims.
Investigators have said they believe the deaths are linked to a human trafficking scheme.
One of the individuals, Steve Shand of Deltona, Florida, was found with a backpack full of items for an infant. He told investigators he was carrying the backpack for a group that got separated from them.
Shand faces counts of transporting or attempting to “transport illegal aliens”. He was released on conditional bail on Monday..
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