Missing Rajasthan medical student found dead in Russia; family seeks repatriation, transparent probe
Alwar: A 22-year-old medical student identified as Ajit Singh Chaudhary from Rajasthan’s Alwar district, who had been missing in Russia since the last three weeks, was found dead near a dam in Ufa city on Thursday. According to his family he was pursuing an MBBS degree at Bashkir State Medical University since last year.
On October 19, Ajit went missing after he left his hostel around 11 a.m. to buy milk and told his friends he would return shortly. He did not come back. In the days that followed, authorities recovered his clothes, phone, and shoes near the White River. After 19 days of search operations, his body was located near a dam on the same river.
The Indian Embassy in Moscow informed the family and district representatives in Alwar about the discovery. Fellow students were called in to identify the body. Officials informed that the post-mortem would be conducted by a medical board in Russia. The remains would be sent to India thereafter. The repatriation process is expected to take two to three days with the help of the Indian Embassy and Russian authorities.
Relatives said Ajit's family had sold nearly three bighas of land to finance his medical education abroad. “We sent him with so many hopes. Now we are only waiting for him to return,” a family member said.
Residents, student groups, and community members gathered at the Alwar Jat Hostel and expressed their distress over the delayed response to Ajit’s disappearance by authorities. They appealed for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of his death.
According to a report by The Tribune, Congress leader Jitendra Singh Alwar expressed condolences and called the incident “suspicious,” urging External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to ensure the repatriation is completed quickly and the family receives support. “This matter must be investigated seriously. The family should not be made to go from office to office,” he said on X.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
