An unspeakable series of tragedies has unfolded within the Indian-American academic community, as numerous students have met with mysterious and violent ends. Sameer Kamath, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering at Purdue University, was the latest to be found deceased in a nature preserve. The Warren County Coroner’s Office confirmed the 23-year-old’s US citizenship and prior completion of a master’s at the same prestigious institution. This disturbing event was closely preceded by the death of another Purdue student, Neel Acharya, under equally enigmatic conditions.
These incidents sadly extend the unsettling pattern of Indian or Indian-origin students encountering danger in the United States. Syed Mazahir Ali, a victim of a brutal assault in Chicago, gained media attention when footage showed him wounded and pleading for aid. In total, four cases involving Indian students have made headlines, including the untimely death of 19-year-old Shreyas Reddy Beniger and the violent murder of Vivek Saini, a Haryana native, at the hands of a homeless man in Georgia.
The increasing frequency of these calamities paints a troubling picture of the risks Indian students are exposed to while studying in the US. As the community reels from these losses, the question of security for international students abroad becomes a pressing and poignant topic of concern.