In what officials suspect was a failed crossing attempt during a severe blizzard, the bodies of four persons, believed to be an Indian family of four, including an infant and a teen, were discovered in Canada near the US border.
Investigators in the United States and Canada believe the deaths are linked to a larger human smuggling operation that came to a halt on Wednesday when US law enforcement arrested Steve Shand, a 47-year-old Florida man, near the border, and later came across more Indians who claimed they were attempting to cross the border to enter the United States.
S Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister, expressed his surprise at the incidence. “Shocked by the revelation that four Indian citizens, including an infant, have died at the Canada-US border,” Jaishankar tweeted. “We’ve urged our ambassadors in the United States and Canada to respond as soon as possible to the issue.”
According to the US Attorney’s Office, the bodies discovered in Canada have been tentatively identified as those of the family of four.
Ajay Bisaria, India’s ambassador to Canada, tweeted on Friday that Indian authorities were cooperating with Canadian authorities. He described the incident as a “grave tragedy,” adding that a “Indian consular team is travelling today” from the Indian embassy in Toronto to Manitoba “to coordinate and help…” We’ll engage with Canadian authorities to look into these troubling incidents.”
