Surat, Gujarat

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Eight people including two children were found dead in the Saint Lawrence River near the Canada-US border on Thursday. Now, a family in the Mehsana district of the western Indian state of Gujarat has claimed that the Indians among the eight dead may have been their kin. 

Officials of the Mehsana district administration said some village residents approached the collector and requested that arrangements be made to retrieve the bodies of the four deceased. 

"It is confirmed that four members of a family from Manekpur village in Vijapur taluka of Mehsana went to Canada on a visitor's visa and tried to cross the river. The villagers approached us seeking help to bring back their bodies, which we have reported to the state government," said an official. 

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According to The Hindu report, Pravin Chaudhary, a farmer, his wife Daksha, their son Mit, and daughter Vidhi had reached Canada a few weeks ago on a tourist visa. They were attempting to enter the US illegally by undertaking the risky boat journey across the river. 

WATCH | Authorities: 8 dead during illegal river crossing on the US-Canada border

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Jasubhai Chaudhary, a resident of Manekpur village claimed it was his brother that died in the accident after repeated phone calls to reach him went blank. 

"Two months ago, my brother, his wife and two children went to Canada on a visitors' visa. Yesterday morning I learnt about the death of members of a family from India in Canada. I tried to contact my brother but was not able to do so. This caused suspicion that they were our family members," Chaudhary was quoted as saying by PTI. 

The report added that a local agent was involved in human smuggling had sold the dream of living in the US to Pravin and his family. 

ALSO READ | Indians, Romanians among eight found dead while crossing into US from Canada illegally

To identify the cause of death, authorities are awaiting the results of an autopsy and toxicology tests, as per reports. The bodies, as per reports, were recovered in a marsh area Thursday during an aerial search with the Canadian Coast Guard. 

(With inputs from agencies)

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