The Canadian authorities have confirmed the identity of the family of four found frozen to death in a field near Emerson, Manitoba, last week as Jagdishkumar Patel, 39; Vaishaliben Patel, 37; Vihangi Patel, 11; and Dharmik Patel, 3.
The Indian media had already reported that the Patel family had migrated from Dingucha village in Gujarat.
“We can confirm that on January 12, 2022, the Patel family arrived in Toronto, Canada. From Toronto, the family made their way to Emerson on, or about, January 18, 2022,” the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said on their website.
RCMP officers search the area where a family of four froze to death after crossing the border from the U.S. near Emerson, Manitoba, Canada, in this January 19, 2022 handout photo.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Since a vehicle was not recovered, the family is believed to have been dropped off at the border, according to the police, who are trying to determine how the Patel family travelled from Toronto to Emerson.
“With what we know so far of their activities in Canada, along with the arrest that occurred in the United States, we believe this to be a case of human smuggling,” they said.
The authorities are looking for anyone who might have encountered the family.
Seven Indians were picked up by U.S. border forces on Wednesday last week and are in various stages of removal proceedings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection had told The Hindu.
A 57-year-old Florida man, Steve Shand, was arrested in the U.S. last week and charged with human smuggling.
