New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday that New Delhi is in touch with local authorities as to what led to the killing of an Indian-origin student near his university campus in Canada earlier this week.
While addressing a weekly media briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Indian consulate is extending all possible support to the family of the deceased.
When asked about Indian-origin student who was shot near his university campus in Canada, Jaiswal responded, "We are in touch with his family. It's very unfortunate. We convey our deepest condolences. We are also in touch with local authorities as to what the circumstances that led to the death, we will come to know of those details more. But, we are in touch with local authorities in the matter and as also our consulate is extending all possible support to the family of the person who died."
A 20-year-old Indian student was fatally shot near the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus on Tuesday. The victim has been identified as Shivank Avasthi, an Indian national pursuing doctoral studies in Canada. The Canadian Police has launched a manhunt and appealed to the public for information related to the incident. According to Toronto Police, he was discovered with a gunshot injury on Tuesday afternoon, marking the city’s 41st homicide case of the year. The statement said, "The suspect(s) fled the area before police arrival."
During the weekly media briefing on Friday, the MEA spokesperson was also asked about the death of an Indian-origin man due to suspected cardiac arrest while waiting for treatment at a hospital in Canada.
"Regarding the medical case that you referred, the person is of Indian origin but he happens to be, I understand, a Canadian national. So, obviously the government of Canada should take responsibility in this particular matter," Jaiswal responded.
His statement came after a 44-year-old man identified as Prashant Sreekumar died in an Edmonton hospital emergency room waiting area. On December 22, Sreekumar experienced severe chest pains while he was at work. A client took him to a hospital in Edmonton, where Sreekumar was checked in at triage and then took a seat in the waiting room, Canada-based Global News reported.
"His father, Kumar Sreekumar, who reached the hospital soon after revealed that his son told him and hospital staff the pain he was experiencing was 15 out of 10. According to Kumar Sreekumar, the hospital staff conducted an electrocardiogram (ECG) on him to check his heart’s function. However, the family said Prashant was told there was nothing of significance and to keep waiting," the leading news outlet reported.
The report quoted Prashant's father as saying that his son was offered some Tylenol for his pain but called into treatment area after waiting for more than eight hours.
"After sitting maybe 10 seconds, he looked at me, he got up and put his hand on his chest and just crashed," Prashant Sreekumar's father told Global News.
--IANS
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