Relatives of an Indian family whose bodies were found in a river marsh near the US-Canada border last week said that they are 'still in shock', reported BBC Gujarati.
The Indians who died were identified as Pravin Chaudhary, 50, his wife Diksha, 45, their son Meet, 20, and their daughter Vidhi, 24. They were from Manekpur Dabhala village in Mehsana district in the western Indian state of Gujarat.
Pravin Chaudhary's cousin Jasubhai Chaudhary said that the family had left for Canada on visitor visas on 3 February.
Jasubhai said that he was worried when he saw news on TV about the bodies of four Indians being found on Saturday (1).
"I was worried and called him," Jasubhai Chaudhary said. "But he didn't answer."
"As far as we knew, they only went to Canada and did not have any plans to go to the US," he said.
His fears were confirmed after a relative in the US received an email from the Canadian police about the deaths.
The Gujarati family was among eight migrants found dead near the US-Canada border.
Pravin's neighbour Sanju Chaudhary told the BBC Gujarati that the former had been doing well before he left.
According to him, Pravin was a farmer and also supplied milk in tankers to customers in other districts.
Another neighbour said that the family was friendly with everyone in the village and had lived 'a happy and decent life'.
In January 2022, the bodies of another family of four from Gujarat were found frozen to death near the US-Canada border. The Patel family were also believed to be trying to enter the US.
"They had a valid visa and passport when they left for Canada. So there is nothing we need to investigate as of now," Dinesh Sinh Chauhan, the local deputy superintendent of police, told the BBC.
Jasubhai said that he has contacted the district's collector for help in bringing back his relatives' bodies.
"We are just waiting for their bodies to reach here so that we can see all of them one last time," he is reported to have said.
