Four Indian medical students drown in Russia's St Petersburg; Indian embassy issues advisory
Moscow, Jun 7: Four Indian medical students drowned when they entered a fast-flowing river near St Petersburg in Russia, authorities said on Friday, prompting the Indian embassy here to issue an advisory to the students to be "extremely careful" while going to the beaches, rivers, lakes, ponds and other water bodies.
In the worst tragedy to hit the Indian student community in Russia, four students from Maharashtra - Harshal Anantrao Desale, Jishan Ashpak Pinjari, Jia Firoj Pinjari and Malik Gulamgous Mohammad Yakub - drowned in the Volkhov River.
They were studying at the Novgorod State University in Veliky Novgorod city.
A fifth student, Nisha Bhupesh Sonawane, was rescued.
The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi termed it as an unfortunate incident.
"Four Indian students who were studying at the Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University located in Veliky Novgorod, Russia, drowned in an unfortunate incident in the Volkhov river. In the incident, a fifth Indian student was saved from drowning and is presently receiving medical attention," it said.
Local emergency services have so far recovered two dead bodies from the Volkhov River. The search for the remaining two missing students continues.
Local media reports said that the students drowned as they tried to save one of their female friends. They all were aged 18-20.
The tragedy has prompted the Indian embassy here to issue an advisory to the students.
"Unfortunate incidents of drowning of Indian students in Russia are taking place from time to time. In such incidents this year so far, four Indian students have lost their lives. In the year 2023 there were two incidents and in 2022, there were six cases of death of Indian students by drowning," the embassy said on Friday.
"The Embassy, therefore, urges Indian students in Russia to be extremely careful while going to beaches, rivers, lakes, ponds and other water bodies. Students are advised to take all necessary precautions and safety measures in this regard," it added.
Two of the four students, Jishan and Jia, were siblings. They hailed from Amalner in the Jalgaon district. Harshal Desale belonged to Bhadgaon, also in the Jalgaon district.
Jalgaon district collector Ayush Prasad said arrangements are being made to bring the bodies to India.
"We are working to send the bodies to the relatives as soon as possible. Proper treatment is also being provided to the student whose life has been saved," the Embassy of India in Moscow said on X.
The Consulate General of India in St Petersburg said these students were pursuing medical education at Veliky Novgorod State University.
"Sincere condolences to the bereaved families," it posted on X.
The Consulate General said it was working together with the local authorities of Veliky Novgorod to send the mortal remains to the relatives as soon as possible.
"The bereaved families have been contacted and assured of all the possible help," it said.
A family member told local media: "When they entered the Volkhov River, Jishan made a video call to his family. His father and other family members were pleading with Jishan and others to come out of the river waters when a strong wave swept them away.”
In a message to the Indian envoy to Russia, the administration of Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University has expressed condolences over the tragedy.
“The students were taking a walk near the city's beach along the Volkhov River, in the evening, during their study-free time. The tragedy was accidental and unexpected. Nisha Bhupesh Sonawane survived. Now she is under the care of medical staff,” a university official said.
The university's representatives are monitoring her state closely and doing everything possible to help her, he added.
“The university informed the parents immediately and is currently working closely with all respective agencies in the Russian Federation,” he said. The university has requested the Indian envoy for assistance in repatriation of the students' bodies to India, he added.
In June last year, two final-year MBBS students from Kerala drowned in a lake in Russia. They were studying at Smolensk State Medical University.
Indian students study medicine across Russia. There are around 25,000 Indian nationals of which a majority are Indian students studying medicine, the Indian embassy said, quoting the latest data.
There are also Indian students studying engineering, economics, sciences and other subjects in other universities.
Advisory for Indian students in Russia:https://t.co/h7RnGowOkB https://t.co/z8q9dk4qag pic.twitter.com/IDADhYsiqG
— India in Russia (@IndEmbMoscow) June 7, 2024
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SIT to be set up to identify forest, revenue land as per SC directions: Karnataka Minister Gowda
Mangaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Saturday said a SIT will be constituted at the district level to identify forest and revenue land and submit a report in compliance with directions of the Supreme Court.
Speaking after inaugurating the Mulki taluk Administrative Centre 'Praja Soudha' near here, the minister said the long-pending issue of classification of forest and revenue land has caused hardship to farmers and the government is taking steps to resolve it on priority.
Joint surveys are being conducted to demarcate forest and revenue land in areas earlier granted to farmers, he said, adding that instructions have been issued to all deputy commissioners in the state to expedite the process.
Gowda said many farmers had faced problems as land granted to them earlier had not been formally regularised. The government has now taken up the task of completing the process. A special investigation team (SIT) will be constituted at the district level to identify forest and revenue land and submit a report in compliance with directions of the Supreme Court, he added.
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Between 2018 and 2023, plotting was completed for 1,948 beneficiaries in the district, while in the last two years, plotting under the 1-5 scheme was carried out for 60,943 beneficiaries, he said. Of these, 23,620 farmers have been issued pahani documents.
He said title deeds have been distributed to 2.20 lakh beneficiaries under the regularisation provisions of certain sections relating to house sites.
Under the e-Pouthi campaign, about 60,000 legal heirs have been granted mutation of land records that were earlier in the names of deceased persons, the minister said.
He also said a special drive has reduced cases pending for over two years in Tahsildar courts from 10,774 to 130, while similar cases in Assistant Commissioner courts have been brought down from 73,624 to 2,299.
Land records are now accessible online round-the-clock, eliminating the need for people to visit offices for certified copies, he said, adding that nearly 73 crore pages of revenue records across the state have been scanned at taluk offices in the past two years.
Gowda said taluk administrative offices have been named 'Praja Soudha' to bring governance closer to people. An additional Rs 1.60 crore has been sanctioned for compound construction and other facilities at the Mulki centre.
State Health and Family Welfare Minister and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said efforts are being made to boost investment and tourism in the district.
He said the recent state budget has announced a Global Capability Centre for the district and steps will soon be taken to implement it.
A sum of Rs 70 crore has been sanctioned for a new OPD block at Wenlock District Hospital, while discussions are underway with three private medical colleges to strengthen clinical services at taluk hospitals in Moodbidri, Bantwal, Vitla and Belthangady.
Lok Sabha member Brijesh Chowta urged the revenue minister to resolve forest and revenue land issues in Puttur, Sullia, Kadaba and Belthangady taluks and said approval has been given for development of the national highway from Talapady to Kundapur with service roads on both sides.
