A 23-year-old resident of Gujarat’s Surat was killed in a missile strike in the Russia-Ukraine war zone, the family told The Indian Express. The incident took place on February 21. The man has been identified as Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya. His family told the Indian Express that they are helpless and want the Indian government to intervene and request its Russian counterpart to send their son’s body back home.
Hemil, who had studied till class 12, had gone to Russia in mid-December last year. The family says that he remained in contact with them till February 20. However, they were not aware about the nature of his job. Initially, the family only knew that their son was working as a ‘security helper’ in Russia.
Hemil was getting Rs 2 lakh as monthly salary. Later, they got to know that the 23-year-old was forcibly inducted in the Russian Army after signing a document in foreign language. He was give a rifle and was sent to the war zone. Ashwin Mangukiya, Hemil’s father, said that his son wanted to return to Surat. He had spoken with the agent who had sent him to Russia as well as the seniors in the Army. “But nobody listened to him.”
According to ‘The Hindu’ report, a travel agent had written to the officials of the Indian Consulate to bring back Hemil. However, the Ministry of External Affairs says that it was not aware about the incident.
On Monday, the MEA had issued a fresh statement saying that the reports about Indians seeking discharge from the Russian Army were ‘inaccurate.’