Concerns rise over deaths of Indian-Origin students in US; what’s behind the alarming trend?

Many Indian students dream of studying in the United States of America. It represents a chance to gain world class education and career opportunities However, there are factors that can turn the American dream into a nightmare for Indian students. The spike in deaths of Indian and Indian origin students in the US highlights these risks.

The body of an Indian origin student, who was missing for months was found dead in Ohio on April 9, 2024. This takes the number of deaths of Indian students in the US in 2024 to 11. And we are just in the fourth month of the year. There is a desire among Indians for education abroad especially in the US. This has also become a blessing for American universities.

Nowadays the Indian students are increasingly choosing to study at US universities creating a boom for American universities. The number of Indian students in the US has skyrocketed with a staggering 35 percent enrolment for the academic year 2022-23 compared to the previous year.

In the US, the Indian origin students are round 275,000 and make 25 percent of the total foreign students an bringing in nine billion USD per year in terms of fees and expenses according to the Open Doors Report. A yearning for better career prospects drives this trend. Indian students believe that the US degree unlocks doors to higher paying jobs but at what cost?

Recent deaths of Indian students in the US have raised safety concerns. Since the beginning of the year 2024, the news of death of Indian students has started becoming louder. The Indian students became the victim of violent attacks were for money or personal reasons. In a very recent case, Mohammad Abdul Arfath, a 25-year-old Indian student missing for a month was found dead in Ohio.

This took the number of deaths of Indian students and Indian origin students in the US to 11, which is a stunning number. A prominent diaspora body has found reasons behind the death of Indian students and has asked various agencies of the US government, universities and student associations to work towards the addressing the spike in the number of deaths of Indian origin students in the US in recent months.

Lakshmi Thalanki from Boston, who collected the data on the deaths of more than ten students noted, the sudden surge of deaths among Indian students is alarming and suspicious, reported an Indian media agency.

Analysis by the Foundation for India and Indian diaspora studies found the causes of these incidents range from suspicious shootings, kidnapping, environmental deaths due to the lack of safety knowledge (monoxide poisoning, hypothermia) and mental issues triggering suicides and even suspicious accidents to violent crimes.

Since the sudden spike in the suspicious deaths, rumours have been circulated around the Indian American community about potential hate crimes especially as many deaths are clustered around East and Midwest universities, especially in Cleveland and Ohio along with Illinois and Indiana. Days before the body of Mohammad Abdul Arfath was found another Indian student was found dead.

Uma Satya Gadde, and Indian student died in Ohio’s Cleveland in April. A police investigation into the death is underway. Before Gadde’s case, there have been several similar incidents that deeply affected communities in the US and India. In 2024, the students of Indian-American descent met with untimely deaths under various circumstances. All the students were 25 years old and under. A student from Andhra Pradesh who was studying engineering at Boston University was down to death by some unidentified assailants.

The body of Abhijit Parachuri, 20 was found in a car in the campus forest. It is believed that the attacker had attacked him for his money and laptop. Vivek Saini, an Indian student was tragically killed in Georgia on January 3. Saini, a master’s student in computer science at the University of West Georgia was working at a convenience store when a drug addict attacked him. The attacker named Julain Faulkner attacked Saini with a hammer 50 times.

Two Indian students named Gattu Dinesh and Nikesh, both in their early twenties, were found dead at their home in Connecticut on January 14. They had arrived in the US on January 21 to pursue further studies. According to media accounts, their deaths were attributed to a gas leak.

A Purdue University student named Neel Acharya, 22, was found dead on January 17. He studied mechanical engineering. His mother reported him missing, but sadly he was found dead a few hours later. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Akul Dhawan, a 21-year-old Indian-American student, was found dead near the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on January 20. He was in his third year of studying computer engineering. The coroner’s report from the autopsy indicated that he likely passed away due to hypothermia as the Night Club denied entry.

Shreyas Reddy Benigeri, a 19-year-old Indian-American student, was found dead in his dormitory at the Lindner School of Business in Ohio on February 1. He was a first-year student studying finance.

Another Indian-American student from Purdue University, Sameer Kamath, 25, was found dead in a nature preserve on February 5. He was pursuing a doctorate in mechanical engineering. He had completed his master’s degree in the same field from Purdue University in August 2023.

The spate of deaths has cast a spotlight on the safety and well-being of Indian students in the US, who often face high expectations from their parents, families and themselves. Beyond these deaths Indian students may have faced bias motivated instances too.

Hate crimes and acts of discrimination, including racial slurs and vandalism, can be a concern. Gun violence, a complex issue in the US, can also be a source of anxiety for students.

A 23-year-old Indian student named Syed Mazahir Ali was attacked by four armed robbers close to his residence in Chicago on February 4. He sustained severe injuries and was admitted to the hospital. Ali was pursuing a degree in computer science at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Though the deaths can’t be attributed right away to racial or religious discrimination, they come amid a rise in Hinduphobia, which has been flagged by Indian-origin lawmakers in the US.

Recently, in a meeting held in the US Capitol where Shri Thanedar spoke about the rising concern of Hinduphobia. Other leaders in the meeting also spoke about Hinduphobia. Suhag Shukla, representing the Hindu American Foundation, highlighted the prevalence of anti-Hindu bias, particularly on college campuses. She pointed to a recent rise in hate crimes and a lack of familiarity with Hinduism among law enforcement.

Tejal Shah of the Hindu Temple Empowerment Council spoke about the emotional distress caused by recent attacks on Hindu temples. Though there is no evidence right now to link the deaths of the students to discrimination, the diaspora body raises suspicion that some of them could be hate crimes.

In several cases, the reasons for the deaths of the Indian-origin students aren’t clear. And the recent spate of tragedies involving Indian students in the US paints a concerning picture. From violent attacks to unexplained deaths, these incidents have shaken the sense of security for Indian students pursuing their educational dreams.

This alarming trend, coupled with rising hate crimes and gun violence, raises serious concerns about the safety of young Indian people on American streets. Urgent action is needed to address these issues and ensure the well-being of all international students in the US. Preventive action, as suggested by the prominent Indian diaspora body, is the need of the hour.