New Delhi: A family of four Indians –including an infant – froze to death in Canada as they attempted to cross the US border illegally during a blizzard in what Justin Trudeau described as a “mind blowing” tragedy.Indian external affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Friday expressed shock at the deaths and instructed the Indian ambassadors in the US and Canada to urgently respond to the situation.US authorities have charged a US man with human trafficking after the four – a man, woman, baby and teenager – were found dead in the province of Manitoba, a few yards north of the frontier with Minnesota. The bodies were found on Wednesday, January 19.The four have been identified as a family from India, part of a larger group trying to enter the US by walking across snow-covered fields in a remote region during blizzard-like conditions.“It was an absolutely mind-blowing story. It’s so tragic to see a family die like that, victims of human traffickers … and of people who took advantage of their desire to build a better life,” Trudeau told a news conference.“This is why we are doing all we can to discourage people from crossing the border in an irregular or illicit manner.”Canada, Trudeau said, was working very closely with the United States to stop smuggling and help people “taking unacceptable risks.”The four people died about 6 miles (10 km) east of Emerson, a small farming community. David Carlson, head of the local municipal council, said there was no shelter at all in the area.“It would almost be like a lunar-type landscape and you can become lost or disoriented very quickly in those kinds of conditions, especially as you’re beginning to freeze and no doubt panic,” he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.“There’s no lights up there. You would have probably been in close to zero visibility.”Jaishankar said he was shocked by the deaths.Shocked by the report that 4 Indian nationals, including an infant have lost their lives at the Canada-US border. Have asked our Ambassadors in the US and Canada to urgently respond to the situation.— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 21, 2022He spoke to India’s ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and India’s high commissioner in Canada Ajay Bisaria.Ambassador Sandhu said it was an unfortunate and tragic incident.An unfortunate and tragic incident. We are in touch with US authorities on their ongoing investigation. A consular team from @IndiainChicago is travelling today to Minnesota to coordinate and provide any assistance required https://t.co/syyA59EoB2— Taranjit Singh Sandhu (@SandhuTaranjitS) January 21, 2022India’s high commissioner in Canada Bisaria said it was a grave tragedy.This is a grave tragedy. An Indian consular team is travelling today from @IndiainToronto to Manitoba to coordinate and help. We will work with Canadian authorities to investigate these disturbing events. @HCI_Ottawa https://t.co/qGM2ZTlPsx— Ajay Bisaria (@Ajaybis) January 21, 2022According to court documents, US Border Patrol (USBP) officials in North Dakota stopped a 15-passenger van just south of the Canadian border on Wednesday.Human traffickingThe US Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota issued a release late Thursday afternoon and said the driver was identified as 47-year-old Steve Shand of Florida, who had been arrested and charged with human smuggling in connection with the incident.Law enforcement officials have also determined that there were two undocumented Indian nationals, the Department of Justice said.The court documents said that law enforcement officials discovered cases of plastic cups, bottled water, bottled juice, and snacks located in the extreme rear of the passenger van.As they were taking the trio back to the border patrol station in North Dakota, officers came across another group of five Indian nationals walking.They told them that they had walked across the border and expected to be picked up by someone.The group said they estimated they had been walking for more than 11 hours, and they appeared to be headed to an unstaffed gas plant located in St. Vincent, Minnesota.One of the group members was carrying a backpack that did not belong to him.He told authorities that he was carrying the backpack for a family of four Indian nationals that had earlier walked with his group but got separated at night.The backpack contained children’s clothes, a diaper, toys, and some children’s medication.According to court documents, on January 19, the USBP received a report from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that four bodies were found frozen just inside the Canadian side of the international border.The dead bodies were tentatively identified as the family of four that got separated.Two of the surviving Indian nationals sustained serious injuries and were transported to a hospital.Shand is charged with one count of knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that a foreign national had come to, entered, or remained in the United States in violation of law, having transported, and moved or having attempted to transport such nationals.(With agency inputs)
