When Manohar Parrikar addressed the 55th convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in 2017, he told the graduates to take up jobs in social and development sectors.

An alumnus of the famed institute, Parrikar also asked students to join politics and the Army, said a former IIT-B student who was present at the convocation ceremony.

Over 2,600 students were awarded degrees at the ceremony and Parrikar sat through the event, with little sign of the serious ailment that would claim his life Sunday, he said.

"Why can't IIT graduates, who have had the best engineering education in the country, take up academics and run some of these colleges, and transform their quality?" Parrikar had then said.

The institute, in its condolence message, said: 'Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's demise comes as a shock to all of us at IIT Bombay. He was the institute's distinguished alumnus and keenly involved with many initiatives at IIT Bombay.

He was also deeply involved with the launch of IIT Goa.  -- PTI

Centre has announced national mourning on March 18, following demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

State funeral will be accorded to him.

National Flag will fly at half-mast in the National Capital and capitals of States and UTs.  -- ANI

Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, nuclear submarines and scores of other ships were put on operational deployment by the Indian Navy after tension escalated between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack, Navy officials said on Sunday.

They said the naval assets were part of a mega exercise but they transited from the exercise for operational deployment soon after the Pulwama attack on February 14, Navy sources said.

About 60 ships of the Indian Navy, 12 ships of the Indian Coast Guard and nearly 80 aircraft were put on operational deployment mode, they said.

"Availability of such a large number of combat ready assets in the theatre of operations for TROPEX exercise allowed the Indian Navy to expeditiously respond to the developing situation in synergy with the three services," Navy Spokesperson Capt. D K Sharma said.

"The overwhelming superiority of Indian Navy in all three dimensions forced the Pakistan Navy to remain deployed close to the Makran coast and not venture out in the open ocean," he said.

Tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours escalated after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack and subsequent aerial strike by India on a training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Balakot on February 26.

Pakistan retaliated the strike next day by unsuccessfully attempting to target Indian military installations. The JeM claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.  -- PTI

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday condoled the demise of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and described him as 'one of Goa's favourite sons'.

He said Parrikar was respected and admired across party lines and had bravely battled his illness for over a year.

'I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Goa CM, Shri Manohar Parrikar Ji, who bravely battled a debilitating illness for over a year.

'Respected and admired across party lines, he was one of Goa's favourite sons. My condolences to his family in this time of grief (sic),' Gandhi said on Twitter.

The Congress on its official Twitter handle also said, 'We condole the passing of former Union Minister & Chief Minister @manoharparrikar. We hope that his family finds strength in their moment of grief.'

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, 'Deeply saddened by the demise of Shri Manohar Parrikar ji, Chief Minister of Goa. My heartfelt condolences to his family members..May his soul rest in peace.'

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, 'Sad to learn about the passing away of Shri Manohar Parrikar, CM of Goa. He was a cordial man, who was admired across party lines. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.'  -- PTI

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Sunday announced former Union ministers Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja and T R Baalu and its Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi among its candidates for the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies it is contesting in Tamil Nadu.

Releasing the list of candidates, which included 13 new faces, party president M K Stalin on Sunday said Maran will contest from Central Chennai, A Raja from Nilgiris (SC) and T R Baalu from Sriperumbudur constituencies.

His sister and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi will try herluck from Tuticorin constituency in southern Tamil Nadu.

Former Union Minister of State, S Jagathrakshakan isfielded from Arakkonam.

Kanimozhi's Rajya Sabha terms ends in July this year.DMK has alloted 19 other seats in the state to its allies. -- PTI

Rashtrapati Bhavan has announced that Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has passed away.

A tweet by President of India said:

'Extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, after an illness borne with fortitude and dignity.

'An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, his service  to the people of Goa and of India will not be forgotten #PresidentKovind.' -- ANI

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's health condition is extremely critical, says the CM's Office.

The CMO says doctors are trying their best.

More details awaited.  -- ANI

The parents of Farhaj Ahsan, an engineer feared dead in the Christchurch mosque massacre, are expected to leave for New Zealand on Sunday night, a family member said.

Khursheed, brother of Ahmed Iqbal Jahangir, a city resident who is recovering after being shot, told PTI that he too would be travelling to the country.

Khursheed was supposed to leave for New Zealand on Saturday night, but could not as he did not have a confirmed ticket, he said.

A cousin of Ahsan recalled his childhood and their stay at Hanmakonda (Warangal) in Telangana, saying he was a bright student who did his engineering course from a city college.

50 people were killed in the attack in two mosques in New Zealand.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi had tweeted on Saturday night that Ahsan had passed away.  -- PTI

The Congress party on Sunday announced to leave seven Lok Sabha seats for Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, and Rashtriya Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh, where 80 seats are at stake.

Talking to media persons here, UP Congress Committee president Raj Babbar said: "We are leaving seven seats vacant for SP, BSP, and RLD. These are Mainpuri, Kannauj, Firozabad and the seats from where Mayawati ji, RLD's Jayant ji and Ajit Singh will contest ensuing Lok Sabha election."

"We have also decided to give two seats to the Apna Dal -- Gonda and Pilibhit," said Babbar, adding that the Congress party would chalk out a plan to work with the Mahan Dal as they have agreed to contest on the Congress symbol.

"We had talked to Mahan Dal earlier. They had said they were fine with whatever seats we give them. All they wanted was to contest the Vidhan Sabha election. For the Lok Sabha elections, they had said that they would contest on our symbol. We will find out a way to work with them."

It is worth mentioning that SP, BSP, and RLD have forged an alliance to take on the BJP in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in the state.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav had, however, claimed that the Congress party is with the SP-BSP alliance in UP.

SP-BSP has left Rae Bareli and Amethi seats for the Congress.As per the seat-sharing agreement, SP is contesting 37 seats and BSP 38.

Three seats have been given to the RLD -- Mathura, Muzaffarpur, and Baghpat.Babbar also said the Congress party has reached an agreement on seven seats with the Jan Adhikar party (JAP).

"Out of those seven, JAP will fight on five and we will fight on two seats," he said.

Talking about Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi's proposed visit to the state, Babbar said that necessary no objection certificates (NOCs) have been obtained for Priyanka Gandhis tour.

"We have obtained NOCs from many departments and some other clearances are pending. She will be visiting the places that have been finalised," he said.

Babbar also said Priyanka Gandhi is in favour of Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad contesting from Varanasi, the Lok Sabha seat currently held by Prime MinisterUttar Pradesh will go to polls during all seven phases of the election to be held on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19.

Counting of votes will be done on May 23.   -- ANI

All efforts are being made to bring the mortal remains of the 27-year-old woman from Kerala, killed in the in the Christchurch terror attacks, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.

Ancia Alibava from Kodungallur in Thrissur district, among the 49 people who were killed in the shootouts at two mosques, was pursuing her M.Tech degree in an Agricultural University there.

She had gone to the mosque to offer prayers along with her husband Abdul Nazar when the shootout took place.

Ancia was reportedly in the women's section.

Her husband had a miraculous escape and informed relatives in Kerala about the tragedy.

NORKA Roots (a department which provides all information pertaining to Non Resident Keralites) was in constant touch with the Indian High Commissioner in New Zealand, the CMO statement said.

The High commission officials were informed by New Zealand Police on Sunday morning that the body would be released within 24 hours.

NORKA Roots officials said as soon as the body is handed over, it would be brought to Kerala within four days.

Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended on the young woman's hometown with her family waiting anxiously for her mortal remains to be brought back for the final journey.

According to media reports, the family has also rejected the request of the New Zealand government to perform the last rites in that country.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a Facebook post on Saturday, had termed as shocking, the report of Alibava's death.

"We have been trying to contact the embassy through NORKA roots to gather more information. We share the grief of the family," Vijayan had said.  -- PTI

The name of former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose is said to be in active consideration for appointment as the chief of country's first Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman, officials said on Sunday.

Justice Ghose, who retired from the Supreme Court in May 2017, is a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

His name for the post is understood to be in active consideration by the Lokpal selection panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they said.

There was no official announcement of his appointment by the government.

His appointment, if made by the government, may trigger a controversy as Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge had boycotted the selection panel's meet on Friday.

The Lokpal Act, which envisages establishment of anti-graft body Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to look into cases of corruption against certain categories of public servants, was passed in 2013. -- PTI

Irked over disclosure of information regarding the UN's rejection of Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed's plea for removal of his name from the list of global terrorists earlier this month, Pakistan has written to the global body urging the setting up of an enquiry to find out how India's news agency, Press Trust of India (PTI), got the information.

This is one of the rare occasions when a country has written to the United Nations seeking a probe into publishing of happenings at the world body.

"In a letter to the UN last week, Pakistan's Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi urged the setting up of an enquiry to find out which of the 15 members of the Committee had provided the information to India's 'official news agency' about the UN's rejection of Hafiz Saeed's plea for removal of his name from the list of global terrorists earlier this month," a government source said in New Delhi.

Though she erroneously described the Press Trust of India as 'official news agency', Lodhi, a former journalist, attached news clippings carrying PTI stories.

On March 7, Press Trust India broke the story about the UN rejecting an appeal by the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind to remove his name from a list of banned terrorists.

The UN decision had come after India provided detailed evidence, including "highly confidential information', related to the JuD leader's activities, sources had told PTI.

The continuation of the UN ban against Saeed come amidst China blocking another bid, made by France, the UK, the US and Russia, at the global body to designate Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

Reacting to the Pakistan move, officials said the move is an attempt to curb the Indian media's relentless coverage of Pakistan-based terrorism.

"Lodhi has not questioned the veracity of the PTI news story but instead sought to restrict flow of information about the continuation of the ban and desired that such information should not be made public in the future," a source familiar with the development said.

However, there was no support for Lodhi's request, sources said. -- PTI

Senior Congress leader Digambar Kamat left for New Delhi on Sunday, amid speculation that he may join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, though the former chief minister denied any such move.

Speculations were rife that Kamat may be inducted into the BJP and given a major position in the state government, considering Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's deteriorating health.

Kamat was second in command in the BJP till 2005 when he switched over to the Congress. The senior Congress leader, who held reigns of the state from 2007 to 2012, left for Delhi on Sunday.

"I am leaving for Delhi on a business trip. It is purely personal," Kamat said before boarding the flight to Delhi from the Goa airport.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar accused the BJP of spreading rumours about Kamat.

"This is a game plan of the BJP's dirty tricks department which is spreading rumours to malign the image of Kamat and the Congress," he said.

Chodankar also alleged that the BJP was trying to scare its own alliance partners with such speculations.

"Kamat is very much in the Congress and he will continue with the party," he added.

Meanwhile, Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar refused to comment on reports in a section of media that the issue of Kamat joining the saffron party was discussed during its MLAs' meeting held in Panaji on Saturday.

The health of 63-year-old Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, deteriorated on Saturday, sparking hectic political activities across parties in the coastal state.  -- PTI

Former media baron Peter Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, was admitted to the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai after he complained of chest pain, officials said on Sunday.

Mukerjea, who was lodged at the Arthur Road Jail in Central Mumbai, had been complaining of chest pain for the last few days, a police official said.

On Saturday evening, he again suffered from severe pain in the chest following which the prison medical staff checked him and rushed him to the J J Hospital, he said.

"Mukerjea was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening for chest pain. The patient's condition is stable and he is undergoing treatment," J J Hospital's medical superintendent Dr Sanjay Surase said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation told a special court in Mumbai earlier this month that Mukerjea is the 'silent killer' of Sheena Bora, the daughter of his wife and former media executive Indrani Mukerjea from a previous relationship.

A 33-year-old man was killed and four others were injured on Sunday when a landslide struck a remote village in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

A group of labourers was on way to Banihal on foot when they came under the landslide at Khari-Mahoo road near Aarmarg in the morning, a police official said.

He said the locals pulled out the body of Mohammad Qasim Gujjar, a resident of Aarmarg, from the debris, while four others injured were shifted to hospital.  -- PTI

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday stepped up its 'Main bhi chowkidar' campaign with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other party leaders, including its president Amit Shah, prefixing the word 'chowkidar' to their names in their Twitter profile as they sought people's support in the Lok Sabha elections.

Party leaders, many of them Union ministers and chief ministers, also put out short advertisement videos showing that people from different walks of life have turned 'chowkidar' (watchman) to do their bit for the country like Modi.

Modi's Twitter profile identified him as 'Chowkidar Narendra Modi' and similar was the case with other BJP leaders as they launched a coordinated campaign.

'As Chowkidars of our nation, we are committed to creating a clean economy by using cashless financial transactions. The menace of corruption and black money has adversely affected us for decades. Time to eliminate these for a better future. #MainBhiChowkidar #ChowkidarPhirSe,' Railway Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted.

Shah tweeted a campaign video to highlight people's efforts to keep their surroundings clean.

Modi had Saturday urged his supporters to take the 'main bhai chowkidar' (I too am watchman) pledge, saying he is not alone in the fight against graft and social evils.

'Your Chowkidar is standing firm & serving the nation. But, I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar. Today, every Indian is saying-#MainBhiChowkidar,' he wrote on Twitter.  -- PTI

Upset over being ragged by a senior, two students of a private arts and science college in Madurai allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison, police said on Sunday.

The students, both pursuing their first year BA Economics course, had taken the poison on March 2, following which they were hospitalised.

While one of them died on Saturday, the other had succumbed four days ago, police said.

They said the duo were not able to put up with the ragging and so decided to take the extreme step.

Police is on the lookout for one Jaisakthi, who allegedly ragged the students.

The college authorities said they were investigating the incident.  -- PTI

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has asked all its MLAs not to leave Goa in the backdrop of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's deteriorating health and Congress staking claim to form the government in the state.

Goa BJP general secretary Sadanand Tanawade told ANI that all the legislators have been asked not to leave Goa at a meeting held on Saturday.

After Congress dispatched a letter to Governor Mridula Sinha, BJP called for an 'emergency meeting' at the party headquarters in Panaji.

A meeting of BJP MLAs is also scheduled for today at party's Panaji office, state Power Minister Nilesh Cabral on Saturday.

The Goa Congress on Saturday urged the Governor to dismiss the BJP-led coalition government and invite the party to form the government in the state.

In a letter to Governor, the Leader of the Opposition in the Goa assembly, Chandrakant Kavlekar, claimed that the Congress party has the majority to form the government and that 'the numbers of the BJP may further dwindle' in the Assembly.

Consequent upon the sad demise of BJP MLA Francis DSouza, the BJP government led by Manohar Parrikar, which has long lost the trust of people, has also lost the strength of the House, Kavlekar said in his letter to the Governor.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Francis DSouza died last month after a prolonged battle with cancer.Stating that Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and New York since February last year.

Congress had staked to form the government in October last year too but then its claims were not accepted by the Governor.The present strength of the Goa assembly stands at 37 instead of 40.

Congress is currently the single-largest party in the state with 14 MLAs.

BJP has 13 legislators, including Parrikar, and its government is supported by three MLAs each of the Goa Forward Party and Maharashtra Gomantak Party, and three Independents.

Two Congress MLAs have resigned after defecting to BJP. -- ANI

State-owned telecom firm BSNL will approach National Company Law Tribunal this week to recover dues of about Rs 700 crore from Reliance Communications, according to official sources.

Earlier, debt-ridden RCom in its plea before the NCLAT said that it wants to voluntarily go back into the insolvency process, as it will help selling its assets in a time bound manner.

It had moved the appellate tribunal, seeking directions to the 37 lenders led by SBI to release Rs 260 crore directly to Ericsson.

However, lenders of RCom have opposed the plea, saying that it will lead to outgo of public money for settling payment of a private party.

"BSNL has aready invoked bank guarantee of around Rs 100 crore submitted by RCom for default on payments. Decision was taken on January 4 by BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava to start legal proceedings against RCom for recovery of dues of around Rs 700 crore," the sources told PTI.

BSNL has roped Singh and Kohli law firm for the suit. The case filing got delayed due to collection of invoices from all circle offices.

RCom has been struggling to pay Rs 453 crore out of Rs 550 crore to Ericsson under a settlement reached between the two firms before NCLAT.

The Supreme Court has given time till March 19 to RCom Group to make payment to Ericsson, failing which its chairman Anil Ambani will have to serve three month jail term.

RCom has already paid Rs 118 crore to Ericsson. It approached the NCLAT to direct SBI to release Rs 260 crore which the company has received as income tax refund in trust and retentionship account held at the public sector bank as it will help company in making payment to Ericsson and purge contempt of court.

The NCLAT on Friday declined to issue any direction to SBI and has asked for update on development with regard to payment of Ericsson due on March 19. The tribunal will hear the case of April 8. -- PTI

Tamil Nadus ruling AIADMK on Sunday retained just one Lok Sabha constituency in the state capital while giving away the remaining two to its partners PMK and DMDK as the party announced the list of seats to be contested by constituents of the rainbow alliance. 

AIADMK has retained most of the constituencies in the Western region of the state where the party is quite strong and will field candidates in only three of the 10 constituencies in South Tamil Nadu. Retaining just one seat in Chennai also betrays the party's nervousness in the wake of a double barrel challenge from a resurgent DMK and rebel TTV Dinakaran. 

The AIADMK had won all three seats in Chennai in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections the DMK drew a blank in the state with AIADMK winning 37 seats and PMK and BJP winning one each. 

Former IAS officer Shah Faesal will launch his political outfit 'Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement' at a function in the Rajbagh area of the city on Sunday.

He said the function will be held at the Gindun Ground in Rajbagh. 

The 2010 batch UPSC topper resigned from the Indian Administrative Service in January this year to protest against unabated killings in Kashmir and maginalisation of Indian Muslims.

Faesal had also hit out at the Centre, accusing it of subverting public institutions like the Reserve Bank of India, Central Bureau of Investigation and the National Investigation Agency.

He said such moves had the potential to decimate the constitutional edifice of the country and the same needed to be stopped.

Some objectives of the party include: rebuild J&K as an inclusive pluralistic society with adequate political representation for under-represented communities, promote sustainable development strategies, build a progressive, gender-sensitive political institution with traditional values and modern sensibilities and uplift marginalised communities like Gujjars and Bakerwals, especially after the Kathua Rape case. 

Since resigning from the service, the former bureaucrat has been interacting with young achievers with the aim of getting them to support his initiative for "corruption-free, clean and transparent" politics in the state.

He had also launched a crowdfunding campaign in January to support his initiative.

Several youngsters and aspiring politicians are expected to join Faesal's political outfit.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her office received a "manifesto" from the gunman suspected of killing 50 people in two Christchurch mosques minutes before Friday's attack.

  

"I was one of more than 30 recipients of the manifesto that was mailed out nine minutes before the attack took place," Ardern told reporters on Sunday.

"It did not include a location, it did not include specific details," she said, adding that it was sent to security services within two minutes of receipt.

Ardern said she had read "elements" of the lengthy, meandering and conspiracy-filled far-right "manifesto".

"The fact that there was an ideological manifesto with extreme views attached to this attack, of course, that is deeply disturbing," she said. 

Accused No 4 in the Sheena Bora murder case and former CEO Star India, Peter Mukerjea was admitted to Sir Jamshedjee Jeejeebhoy Hospital, south central Mumbai, on Saturday afternoon. 

Mukerjea reported having chest pains, sources said, for the past five days at Arthur Road Jail. His ECG was done in the jail and than he was rushed to the hospital.

Only his lawyers have access to him at the moment.

Veteran journalist Darryl DMonte died in Mumbai on Saturday evening, aged 76.

Over the past one year, he had been undergoing treatment for cancer, which he is said to have overcome. However, on Saturday afternoon, he was admitted to hospital, where he died later in the day.

The funeral will be held on Sunday afternoon. An ardent environmental journalist, DMonte had helmed the newsroom of The Indian Express, Mumbai, as resident editor. During his journalism stint, which extended for over four decades, DMonte had also worked as the resident editor for The Times of India, Mumbai.

He had also served as the chairperson of the Forum of Environmental Journalists of India and was the founder-president of the International Federation of Environmental Journalists in Dresden, Germany, in 1993.

As eastern UP's party in-charge Priyanka Gandhi is scheduled to arrive in Lucknow on Sunday, her plan for 'Ganga Sojourn' is in the doldrums due to lean flow of the water on some stretches of the river. 

According to a report in The Times of India, Gandhi's scheduled boat ride from Allahabad to Varanasi will begin from Monday after "detailing issues" delayed the official announcement. The realisation that there is a lean flow of water on some stretches of the Ganga is likely to cause last-minute hiccups.

While UP Congress office released a minute-to-minute programme of Priyanka's scheduled tour nearly three days in advance, the newspaper report quoted party sources as saying that the tour had to be modified to accommodate road trips after Gandhi's security detail and some Congress leaders recced the route on Saturday. A lack of embankments in some parts of the river also had to be factored in.

The party's eastern UP in-charge is expected to arrive in the state capital at 10:30 am, following which she will attend series of meetings at the Congress state headquarters. Thereafter, she will proceed to Allahabad to launch her campaign which will move through Mirzapur and Bhadodhi to end at Assi ghat in Varanasi.​

The report further stated that Gandhi is understood to have cracked the whip, insisting that the campaign take off on the agreed date.

The BJP is set to drop sitting MP from Patna Sahib Shatrughan Sinha and he is likely to be replaced by Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, sources said Saturday. 

  

Prasad's name was discussed in the BJP's central election committee here which was attended by party chief Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

Shatrughan Sinha has been critical of the party's top leadership on several occasions in the past.

Deliberations continued till late in the night and the name of Rajya Sabha MP R K Sinha was also discussed for the Patna Sahib seat.

The meeting was also attended by other senior leaders, Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi and party's Bihar unit chief Nityanand Rai. 

Five Indians were among the 50 people killed by a white supremacist, who opened fire on worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, in the worst attack on Muslims in New Zealand, the Indian High Commission said.

The attacker, identified by authorities as Australia-born Brenton Tarrant, 28, reportedly targeted immigrants during Friday prayers. Witnesses said victims were shot at close range.

The high commission confirmed on Sunday that five Indians were killed in the attack.

"With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in #Christchurch," it tweeted.

It identified them as: Maheboob Khokhar; Ramiz Vora; Asif Vora; Ansi Alibava; and Ozair Kadir.

In another tweet later, the high commission informed that Immigration NZ has set up a dedicated webpage to expedite visa for family members of Christchurch victims. (https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/family-members-of-mosque-incident)

On Friday, shortly after the attack, India's high commissioner in New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli had tweeted that "there are 9 missing persons of Indian nationality/origin". But, he had added, official confirmation was awaited.

The high commission said its helpline numbers 021803899 & 021850033 will remain available round the clock to assist families of the those affected by the attack.

"We deeply mourn loss of all other innocent lives including people of Indian origin."

It also said a group of Community leaders is being constituted in Christchurch and their names and numbers will be circulated shortly.

Meanwhile, it added, those who need assistance while transiting through Auckland may contact 021531212.

In a 74-page manifesto the attacker posted online, he described himself as a white supremacist who was out to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called the attack terrorism.

Expressing India's solidarity with the people of New Zealand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said hatred and violence have no place in diverse and democratic societies.

About 200,000 Indian and Indian-origin people live in New Zealand. Over 30,000 of them are students, according to the Indian High Commission's data available on its website.