An Indian-origin software engineer and a woman pursuing her Masters degree have died after they were shot in the New Zealand mosque attacks on Friday.
Ansi Karippakulam Alibava, 23, and Farhaj Ashan, 31, who were both shot at Al Noor mosque, succumbed to injuries on Saturday. The terror attack on two mosques, Al Noor and Linwood, claimed at least 49 lives and injured several others in Christchurch.
Ansi, a native of Kodungalloor in Kerala, was reported missing following the shooting. She was pursuing a Masters of Management in Agribusiness at Lincoln University and was staying in Christchurch with her husband Abdul Nazer.
According to a Manorama News report, Ansi was present at the Al Noor mosque when the attack took place. Her relatives in India were told that she’d been taken to a hospital after sustaining a leg injury. However on Saturday, her husband identified her body and informed the family of her passing, reports said. The couple had moved to New Zealand a year ago.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed his condolences after hearing of Ansi's death.
The other victim, 31-year-old Farhaj, was from Hyderabad. Speaking to TNM, his brother stated that the family had received news of his passing on Saturday evening.
After news broke of the shooting, Farhaj was also initially reported missing. His father, Mohammed Sayeeduddin, had spoken to TNM on Saturday morning. "I did not get any updates from the authorities. Even his friends haven't found him. If we get any updates, we would request authorities to expedite our visa, so that I and my wife can leave to New Zealand."
Farhaj was a software engineer who lived in Christchurch with his wife and their two children, ages 3 years and 6 months old. He had moved to New Zealand in 2010 to purse his Masters at the University of Auckland. He has since been living in the country and was a citizen of New Zealand.
Four people were arrested in connection with the shootings. The primary suspect has been identified as 28-year-old Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant who livestreamed the attack on Facebook. He has reportedly been charged with murder by Christchurch District Court.