Father of deceased Indian student requests for his son’s body to be returned from US

RANGAREDDY(Telangana): The father of Ravi Teja, an Indian student who went to USA for studies and was shot dead, requested the Indian government to return the body of his son to India for his last rites.

Ravi Teja was from Hyderabad and had gone to the US for doing a Masters in Science. He was shot dead in New Haven, Connecticut.

The father broke down while talking about his son to ANI, and said that since the death of his son, his health has deteriorated too. “I ask the government to bring the body of my son here, please request them (US) to get the body. Embassy people have told me that by Friday, Saturday I will know, but during these five days I am not sure about my health, I have high BP,” K Chandramouli, the father, told ANI.

#WATCH | Rangareddy, Telangana | On the demise of Indian student Ravi Teja in a shooting incident in New Haven Connecticut, his father, K Chandramouli says, “He went to the US in 2022 for his studies. He said that he will come to India in March. It was his birthday in… pic.twitter.com/1ikJDcJw4F

— ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2025

He explained that during his son’s birthday in December, they had sent a lot of gifts to him, but now this shocking news is unbelievable to him.”My son went to US to do MS (Master of Science), he started doing a temporary job to help with his fees. He said he was going to come back in March, now it is January and on December was his birthday, we had sent clothes, sweets, everything from here. They killed my son there, I cannot even believe it,” he added.

Talking about the minute he got to know about the news from his family friend he added, “He used to call me even if there was a small incident or had any trouble, that day I had some work, and when I came back it was late at 12:30 so I slept. Sometime later, my family friend, he lives nearby told me to just stay in the house. When he came, he told me that (Ravi) Teja was shot on his arm. I was told he is just injured, but I knew if he was just injured then he would have called me, he didn’t.”

Earlier, a family friend, Upender Reddy told ANI that due to such incidents, Indian students are scared to go to the US and requested the authorities to send back his mortal remains.

“We request the Central government and Telangana government to take necessary steps to bring back his body at the earliest. We also request the Union government to take necessary steps such that our students does not face these kind of incidents in the future. Seeing such incidents, the students are afraid to go abroad. There is no security for our students there. Along with business tie-ups, the governments should also focus on the security of our students who go there,” Reddy told ANI.

The Indian consulate in New York expressed condolences on Teja’s death and said that they are extending all possible help and is in touch with the deceased’s family.

“Deeply saddened to learn about tragic demise of Mr. Ravi Teja in shooting incident in New Haven, Connecticut. Consulate General of India in New York is in touch with his family and is extending all possible assistance, including repatriation of his mortal remains to India,” read the post by the consulate. (ANI)