Missing Indian student of Purdue University in US, confirmed dead; second in a week

INDIANA (US): An Indian student studying at Purdue University, who was reported missing since Sunday, has been confirmed dead, according to the Tippecanoe County Coroner.

According to the Tippecanoe County Coroner’s Office, officials were called around 11.30 am, Sunday, to 500, Allison Road in West Lafayette for a possible dead body. Upon arrival, a “college-aged male” was found deceased on Purdue’s campus. The deceased student has been identified as Neel Acharya by the authorities.

On Sunday, Gaury Acharya, mother of the deceased student, in a post on X, appealed, “Our son Neel Acharya is missing since yesterday Jan 28 (12:30 AM EST) He is studying in Purdue University in the US. He was last seen by the Uber driver who dropped him off in Purdue university. We are looking for any info on him. Please help us if you know anything”.

The Consulate General of India in Chicago replied to her post on X, saying, “Consulate is in touch with Purdue University authorities and also with Neel’s family. Consulate will extend all possible support and help”.

According to Purdue Exponent, a multimedia agency independent of the university, in an email written to the university’s computer science department on Monday, interim CS head Chris Clifton confirmed students and faculty of Neel Acharya’s death.

Hate crime near Atlanta. Homeless man beats Indian immigrant, Vivek Saini, 50 times with hammer, killing him. Ironically, the Indian man tried to help him with food, shelter. No comment from American “human rights” groups. https://t.co/kSJvvtgc6p pic.twitter.com/qAd884nop4

— Indian-Americans (@HinduAmericans) January 29, 2024

Earlier this week, another Indian student was brutally killed with repeated blows from a hammer by a homeless man inside a store in Lithonia, Georgia, US. A video of the incident went viral on social media, but the date of the incident can’t be confirmed.

The man seen attacking Vivek Saini is reportedly a homeless person. A person familiar with the case said that police authorities acted firmly on the visual evidence of the case, and arrests were made promptly. The mortal remains of the victim, being an Indian citizen, were sent back to Vivek’s family in India on January 24, the person added. (ANI)