An Indian American executive died earlier this week, days after he was found with life threatening injuries following a fight outside a restaurant in Washington, USA. Vivek Taneja, who is from Virginia, and the suspect at two sister Japanese restaurants on February 2, 2024, a police report said.
He was knocked to the ground by the suspect and hit his head on a pavement, the Washington posted cited a police report as saying. This comes amid a spate of attacks and deaths of Indians as well as Indian Americans in the US.
Taneja, aged 41 left the restaurants around 2 AM and fight broke out in nearby street, the police report said without describing the nature of the dispute. He lost consciousness in the attack and when the cops arrived, they found him with life threatening injuries and rushed him to hospital. He died from the injuries at the hospital on February 6, 2024.
The search for the suspect is on who was seen on the CCTV but has not been identified yet. The police have offered a reward of 25,000 USD for anyone who provides details and information about the suspect which would lead to his arrest and conviction.
Earlier this week, an Indian student was found left bleeding from his nose and mouth after he was attacked by robbers in Chicago Syed Mazahir Ali, whose family live inn Hyderabad was seen in a video pleading for help following the attack. Five Indian students were found dead in the US this year.
Sameer Kamath, an Indian American studying at Purdue University was found dead at a nature reserve this week. Authorities said he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. Shreyas Reddy, a 19-year-old student who held an American passport was found dead last week, but the authorities ruled out any foul play.
Another student named Neel Acharya was found dead on the Purdue campus earlier that week, hours after his mother had reported him missing. Vivek Saini, a 25-year-old student from Haryana was hammered to death by a homeless man in Georgia’s Lithonia on January 16, 2024. Akul Dhawan another Indian student was found dead outside the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in January 2024.
In the wake of the deaths, the US envoy to India, Eric Garcetti reassured that the US is committed to make sure it remains safe destination for Indian students. “Our heart is always touched when any tragedy occurs, whether it is a life taken by somebody or nay violence no matter who they are. We are very committed to making sure that Indians know that the US is wonderful place to study and be safe,” he said.
