Ninth Indian Student Abhijeeth Paruchuru's Death In US In 2024 Raises Questions - Here's What You Need To Know

In tragic news from the United States, another student, 20-year-old Abhijeeth Paruchuru, has been reported dead in Boston. However, an initial probe has determined that foul play has been ruled out in his death.

The case involves the death of Paruchuru, a 20-year-old from Burripalem, Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, who had gone to the United States to pursue engineering at Boston University.

Ninth Indian Student Dies in the US

He was the only son of his parents, Paruchuru Chakradhar and Srilakshmi. According to a Times of India report, he had been a bright student since childhood. Initially, his mother was reluctant to send him abroad for higher studies, but later agreed considering his prospects.

On 11 March, reports emerged that Paruchuru was found dead in Boston, with some media outlets suggesting that he had been allegedly murdered. His body was discovered in a car deep within a forest, leading to suspicions surrounding his death.

However, on Monday, the Consulate General of India in New York announced that foul play had been ruled out. Additionally, his parents, based in Connecticut, are in direct contact with detectives as the investigation progresses.

The active involvement in the case, including assistance with documentation and transportation of Paruchuru's mortal remains back to India, has been undertaken by the Indian Consulate in New York.

Deep sorrow over the loss was expressed by the Consulate General of India in New York in a post on X, stating, "Deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate demise of Abhijeeth Paruchuru, an Indian student in Boston." Paruchuru's last rites were reportedly performed in his hometown Tenali in Andhra Pradesh, with assistance from the US-based nonprofit organization TEAM Aid in bringing his body to India, according to PTI.

Rise in Attacks on Indian Students in the US

• Since the beginning of 2024, there have been at least half a dozen deaths of Indian and Indian-origin students in the US, causing concern among the community, as reported by PTI.
• In March, Amarnath Ghosh, a 34-year-old trained classical dancer from India and a student of Washington University, was shot dead in St Louis, Missouri.
• Sameer Kamath, a 23-year-old Indian-American student at Purdue University, was found dead in a nature preserve in Indiana on 5 February.
• Vivek Taneja, a 41-year-old Indian-origin IT executive, suffered life-threatening injuries during an assault outside a restaurant in Washington on 2 February.
• Syed Mazahir Ali, an Indian student, was attacked by robbers in Chicago a week before Vivek Taneja's incident.
• Earlier, 25-year-old Indian student Vivek Saini was fatally attacked in Georgia State's Lithonia city by a homeless drug addict.
• In January, 19-year-old Shreyas Reddy Beniger, a student at the Lindner School of Business in Ohio State, was found dead. However, local authorities had ruled out foul play.
• Neel Acharya, an Indian student at Purdue University, Indiana, was confirmed dead days after being reported missing on 28 January.
• Akul B Dhawan, an 18-year-old at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, was found dead last month with signs of hypothermia.

US Actions in Response to Attacks on Indian Students

Amidst the series of attacks targeting Indians and individuals of Indian origin, officials from the Indian Embassy in Washington and various Indian consulates convened a virtual interaction with Indian students throughout the US. The purpose of this interaction was to address concerns regarding student well-being and to explore strategies for fostering stronger connections within the community.

Led by Charge d'Affaires and Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan, the virtual meeting saw active participation from approximately 150 office bearers of the Indian Student Association, along with students representing 90 universities across the United States.

Additionally, Consul Generals from Indian missions in key cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle were also present during the discussion.