### Tragic End for Indian Family Attempting Illegal Border Crossing into the U.S.

MINNEAPOLIS - In January 2022, Jagdish Patel, his wife, and their two young children attempted a perilous journey across the Canadian border into the United States on a frigid night. With wind chills plummeting to minus 36 Fahrenheit (minus 38 Celsius), they embarked on their trek through vast farm fields and heavy snowdrifts under an almost-moonless sky, aiming to reach a waiting van.

The driver of the van, stationed in northern Minnesota, was in contact with his operative, sending a pointed reminder: "Make sure everyone is dressed for the blizzard conditions, please." U.S. federal prosecutors have identified Harshkumar Patel, also known as "Dirty Harry," as the coordinator managing the smuggling operation from the Canadian side. On the U.S. side, Steve Shand, who had been recently recruited by Harshkumar at a Florida casino, was the driver awaiting their arrival. Both men, whose trial starts on Monday, are accused of running an extensive human smuggling network to facilitate the illegal entry of Indian nationals into the U.S. They have pleaded not guilty.

During the five weeks Shand and Harshkumar worked together, they communicated regularly about the harsh weather while smuggling five groups of Indian migrants through the secluded border area. In one of their exchanges, Shand messaged, "16 degrees cold as hell. They going to be alive when they get here?"

Their final trip on January 19, 2022, involved transporting 11 Indian migrants, including the Patel family. Tragically, only seven survived the journey. The bodies of the Patel family were discovered by Canadian authorities the next morning, succumbed to the extreme cold. Jagdish Patel was found clutching his 3-year-old son, Dharmik, in a desperate attempt to shield him with a blanket.

Jagdish Patel, aged 39, hailed from Dingucha in India, where he and his wife, Vaishaliben, both schoolteachers, resided with his parents. They raised their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi, and 3-year-old Dharmik, within the family household. The surname Patel is common in India, and the family was not related to the smuggler, Harshkumar Patel.