Indian missing after New Zealand attack dead, says family; search on for others

Mangalore Today News Network

Christchurch, Mar 16, 2019 : At least one Indian who was reported missing in the Christchurch shooting on Friday has died, his family said.

The deceased has been identified as Farhaj Ahsan, an engineer who had been living in New Zealand for the past seven years. Ahsan’s family confirmed his death saying that he had succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, another Indian Musa Wali, who was reported missing after the attack, died while undergoing treatment at the hospital, news agency ANI reported quoting Musa Wali’s brother Haji Ali Patel.

The Indian envoy to New Zealand, Sanjiv Kohli tweeted that he had been pursuing information on the whereabouts of the missing nine Indians.

“Hv been pursuing info on whereabouts of 9 persons from NZ authorities, these included 7 indian nationals and 2 PIOs. Two indian nationals receiving treatment. Folowing up with NZ Govt. status of others. Also r in regular touch with their families,” Kohli tweeted.

Almost all six of them were last seen near Masjid Al Noor on Deans Avenue where the shootout took place.

Indian authorities are yet to identify those of Indian origin who were affected in the shooting. The official Red Cross website listed the names of at least six Indians who were reported missing between February 15 and 16. They are Arif Vora, Farah Ahsaan, Farhaj Ahsan, Mohammad Imran Khan, Musa Patel, Rameez Vohra, and Hafiz Musa Vali Suleman.

On Friday, a gunman had stormed into two mosques and opened fire killing 49 people and leave 20 others injured during the Friday prayers in the country’s worst mass shooting ever. The attack was live-streamed by the attacker as he went from room-to-room spraying bullets on unarmed people, even shooting the wounded from close range.

The attacker was identified as an Australian extremist who had published a “manifesto” in which he had referred to immigrants as “invaders”.