India confirms five nationals killed in Christchurch

NEW DELHI: Five Indian nationals were among the 50 worshippers killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks, with at least two others reported to be injured, officials said on Sunday.

India’s embassy in New Zealand confirmed the deaths in a tweet, following the devastating shootings at twin mosques in the normally peaceful city. Three of the dead from the mass shooting at Al Noor mosque were from Gujarat state. They were father and son victims Asif and Ramiz Vora, and 65-year-old retiree Mahboob Khokhar, who was visiting his son in Christchurch.

Ansi Karippakulam Alibava -- a 23-year-old from Kerala, who had lived with her husband in Christchurch since last year as she studied for a masters -- was also confirmed dead. The fifth victim, Ozair Kadir, was an aspiring commercial pilot from Hyderabad city.

An Indian foreign ministry official in New Delhi told AFP that they are "in process of ascertaining information about all Indians affected by the terror attack". The official denied Indian media reports that claimed seven people were killed in the attack.

Desperate families in India have been trying to confirm the safety of their relatives after 28-year-old Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant allegedly launched his murderous rampage.

Mohsin Vora, the brother of Asif, told AFP that they were initially told his brother and nephew were injured in the attack, before a family member identified their bodies when they flew to New Zealand. Vora said his 56-year-old brother had gone to meet his new grandchild a month ago.