New York: Minister of External Affairs Jaisankar on Friday revealed a surprise after a family of four Indian citizens, including a baby, freezes to death along the US-Canadian border where the authorities believe that the intersection efforts failed during a freezing snowstorm, and Instruct the Indian ambassador in the US and Canada immediately responded to the situation.
The Royal Canadian police installed in Manitoba (RCMP) on Thursday said that the body of four people – two adults, a teenager and baby – found on the Canadian side of the As-Canada border near Emerson on Wednesday.
“Surprised by reports that 4 Indian citizens, including a baby, have lost their lives on the Canada-US border. Have asked our Ambassador in the US and Canada to immediately respond to the situation,” Mr. Jaishankar tweeted.
Mr. Jaishankar spoke with the Indian Ambassador to the US Tararjit Singh Sandhu and the Indian High Commissioner in Canada Ajay Bisia. Ambassador Mr. Sandhu said it was a unfortunate and tragic incident.
“We relate to the US authorities for their ongoing investigation. The consular team from @IndiaAnchicago traveled today to Minnesota to coordinate and provide any assistance,” he tweeted.
The Indian High Commissioner in Canada Bisaria said it was the tomb tragedy. The Indian Consular Team traveled today from @indiaintoronto to Manitoba to coordinate and help, he tweeted.
“We will work with Canadian authorities to investigate this annoying event,” he wrote.
According to court documents, US border patrol officials (USBP) in North Dakota stopped Van 15 passengers south of Canada’s border on Wednesday.
The US lawyer office for the Minnesota district issued release Thursday night and said the driver was identified as a 47-year-old Steve Shand of Florida, which was arrested and charged with human smuggling in connection with the incident.
Law enforcement officials have also determined that there are two undocumented Indian citizens, the Ministry of Justice said.
Court documents said that law enforcement officials found cases of plastic glasses, bottled water, packaging juice, and snacks located behind the extreme passenger van.
They also found a receipt on January 18, 2022, for drinks and snacks, and receiving a rental agreement in the Shand name for the van, with the return date listed for January 20, 2022.
When they took the trio back to the border patrol pump in North Dakota, officers found another group of five Indian citizens to walk.
They told them that they had walked across the border and were expected to be picked up by someone.
The Group said they estimated they had run for more than 11 hours, and they seemed to be heading to an inappropriate gas factory located in St. Vincent, Minnesota.
One group member brought a backpack that was not his.
He told the authorities that he brought a backpack for a family of four Indian citizens who previously walked with his group but separated at night.
Backpacks containing children’s clothing, diapers, toys, and drugs.
According to court documents, on January 19, USBP received a report from the Royal Canadian police installed that the four bodies were found frozen only on the Canadian side of the international border.
The bodies were tentatively identified as a family of four separated.
Two indian citizens who still live seriously injured and transported to the hospital.
Shand is charged with a count of knowing or ignoring the fact that foreign nationals have come, enter, or remain in the United States violate the law, after being transported, and transferred or trying to transport these citizens.
He made his first appearance today before the AS District Court Judge Hudge Hildy Bowbeer.
Shand was ordered to remain in detention waiting for a preliminary investigation and detention,