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US trial opens in border tragedy that killed Indian migrant family
Prosecutors allege Patel operated a network that recruited clients in India, arranged Canadian student visas, and smuggled them into the US.
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A chilling human smuggling case that led to the freezing deaths of an Indian family at the Canada-US border in January 2022 is set to go to trial in Minnesota. Federal prosecutors allege that Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, an Indian national, orchestrated the smuggling operation, while Steve Shand, 50, of Florida, acted as his accomplice, transporting migrants across the border. Both men have pleaded not guilty.
The tragedy unfolded when Jagdish Patel, 39, his wife Vaishaliben, their 11-year-old daughter Vihangi, and 3-year-old son Dharmik perished in subzero temperatures near the border. Canadian authorities discovered their frozen bodies on Jan.19, 2022, with Jagdish clutching his young son, wrapped in a blanket.
Prosecutors allege Patel operated a network that recruited clients in India, arranged Canadian student visas, and smuggled them into the US via Minnesota or Washington. Shand reportedly earned $25,000 for five such trips, as revealed by court documents. In one exchange, Shand messaged Patel about the freezing conditions, asking, “They going to be alive when they get here?”
Patel’s attorney, Thomas Leinenweber, maintained his client’s innocence, stating, “He has faith in the justice system of his adopted country and believes the truth will come out at trial.”
The tragedy highlights the growing risks faced by migrants. In 2022 alone, US Border Patrol apprehended over 14,000 Indians at the Canadian border. Minneapolis-based immigration attorney Satveer Chaudhary commented, “The promises of the almighty dollar lead many people to take unwarranted risks with their own dignity, and as we’re finding out here, their own lives.”
The trial is expected to shed light on the dangerous operations of transnational smuggling networks.
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