Biden administration fails to provide safety to Indian? Indian-origin motel owner shot dead in US
16 Feb 2024 12:27:34
The Indian American community continues to face uncertainty following a series of sudden deaths among Indian students in American universities. Adding to the grim situation, yet another individual of Indian descent has lost their life.
The victim, identified as Pravin Raojibhai Patel, aged 76, was tragically killed in Alabama, USA. Patel was the proprietor of the Hillcrest Motel under the Joe Biden's administration.
The incident occurred in Sheffield last week. Patel was shot dead after a confrontation with a 34-year-old man identified as William Jeremy Moore, according to news portal al.com.Moore wanted to rent a room at the motel, but soon an argument broke out with Patel. Subsequently, Moore pulled out a handgun and shot the elderly man.
Authorities stated that Moore was arrested shortly after the shooting incident while attempting to break into a nearby abandoned house.The murder weapon was found in Moore's possession at the time of his arrest, Sheffield Police Chief Ricky Terry said.
One of the witnesses, Jemeriz Owens, a barber who works across the street from the hotel, said he heard three consecutive gunshots."He (Patel) was outside. He was just trying to get somebody to leave, and they didn’t want to leave, and they shot him," Owens told WAAY 31 news channel.
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) condemned the incident, labelling it a "senseless act of violence".AAHOA chairman Bharat Patel expressed condolences to Patel's family, emphasising that such violence has no place in communities.
This comes hours after a Indian family,Anand Sujith Henry and Alice Priyanka, along with their four-year-old twins Noah and Neithan, were found dead in a $2.1 million California mansion in what is being seen as a murder-suicide. The couple, originally from the south Indian state of Kerala, had spent the previous nine years living in the United States
Anand, a former manager of software engineering at Meta and Google, made the leap to entrepreneurship and founded Logits, an artificial intelligence startup.Alice, a senior analyst, carried on with her IT profession in the meantime.
Attacks on Indian-origin students in US:
Last week, a student, hailing from India as assaulted by four armed robbers near his residence in the city of Chicago.The victim has been identified as Syed Mazahir Ali.
An Indian-American student, who was completing his doctorate in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, was found dead on Monday evening (Feb 5), reported the Warren County Coroner’s office.The 23-year-old student, identified as Sameer Kamath, had US citizenship and had completed his master’s degree in mechanical engineering in August 2023 from Purdue University, confirmed the coroner’s office.Kamath's dead body was found at the Crow’s Grove Nature Preserve around 5 pm (local time) on Monday (Feb 5). Crow’s Grove Nature Preserve is part of the Niches Land Trust which is located at 3300 North Warren County Road 50 West, in Williamsport.
This year, four Indian-origin students were found dead in the United States. Last week, Shreyas Reddy Beniger, a 19-year-old native of Hyderabad, was found dead in the US. He was a student at the Linder School of Business in Ohio.
Last month, a missing Indian-origin student, Neel Acharya, was found dead near the Purdue University Airport in the US. Acharya was pursuing a double major at the prestigious Purdue University in the US state of Indiana. On January 16, Vivek Saini, a 25-year-old Indian student who recently earned an MBA degree in the US, was hammered to death by a homeless drug addict in Georgia’s Lithonia. Saini from Haryana had been helping the accused for the past couple of days.
Another Indian student, Akul Dhawan, was found dead outside the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in January. The parents of the 18-year-old filed a complaint, alleging that the university’s police department did not take any action after their son was reported missing.
Political need to focus on Indian lives
These incidents raise concerns about the safety and well-being of Indian students in the US. This spike in fatalities among Indian students studying abroad has raised alarm bells and prompted a critical examination of safety measures, mental health support, and overall well-being within the educational ecosystem. Incidents of violence, robberies, and even hate crimes targeting Indian students have been reported, highlighting the vulnerabilities faced by this particular demographic.
The US has long been a favored destination for Indian students seeking higher education opportunities. With its world-renowned universities, diverse academic programs, and promising career prospects, it's no surprise that thousands of Indian students admit to American campuses each year. However, behind the glossy facade lies a grim reality that has come to light in recent times.
The Indian American population was estimated to be over 4.4 million, according to the US Census Bureau.This makes them the largest group of South Asian Americans, the largest Asian-alone group, and the second-largest Asian American group after Chinese Americans. They represent approximately 1.35% of the total US population.
Both major political parties actively court their votes, recognizing their potential to influence election outcomes.Increased political engagement and mobilization by Indian American organizations could amplify their impact on the 2024 elections.
Against the backdrop of a growing Indian population in the U.S. and the upcoming presidential election 2024, these tragic incidents underscore the need for heightened awareness and proactive measures to ensure the well-being of Indian students living in the US. The growing Indian American population is likely to play a prominent role in the political discourse and policymaking of US.