Toronto: Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon has confirmed that a Canadian was killed in the terror attacks in Mumbai, while a US-based meditation group said two Canadians, including Hollywood actor Michael Rudder, who were staying in the Indian city's Oberoi Trident hotel were injured.
According to the Canadian Press, the minister said on Thursday evening that the victim would not be identified till the next of kin were notified. He didn't give any further details about the circumstances surrounding the death.
The two injured Canadians were part of a meditation group that was staying in Mumbai.
The Virginia-based Synchronicity Foundation, which organised the mediation tour of India, said in a statement: "In response to the many inquiries about our programme currently being held in India, 25 participants (comprising 16 Americans, four Canadians and five Australians) were participating in a spiritual programme being held at the Oberoi hotel in Mumbai."
"We have confirmed that two of our American and two Canadian participants received gunshot wounds. One remains in intensive care with three bullet wounds but is conscious and believed to be out of danger.
"Two others are recovering after surgery and the fourth has been released having been treated for a flesh wound," the statement said, adding two members (both Americans) of the party are currently unaccounted for.
Several eyewitness accounts reported the two being shot in the restaurant and feared to be dead, it said.
"While many of the other participants are still being held in their rooms by authorities at the hotel, we believe them to be in parts of the hotel that have been secured by the police/military," the statement said.
Later, a representative of Synchronicity told the Canadian Press that Montreal-based Rudder was shot when terrorists stormed one of the hotels in Mumbai.
The representative said Rudder underwent surgery in an intensive care unit after three gunshot wounds.
Rudder, who has acted alongside Johnny Depp and Eddie Murphy in many Hollywood movies and was nominated for a Genie award for best-supporting actor in 1989 for the film Buying Time, is said to be now recovering.
Local media reports identified Helen Connolly, who teaches yoga at the Ah Yogahh studio in Markham on the outskirts of Toronto, as the other Canadian who suffered bullet injuries in the terror attack.
She is staying with a local host family after being released from the hospital, and "is doing exceptionally well", the Toronto Star quoted foundation vice president Bobbie Garvey as saying from Mumbai.
When this correspondent called Connolly's phone number, her voicemail message said: "I am away at the moment and will return on December 4, so please leave a message or try calling after that date."
Comments
0 comment