Akshay Gupta, 30, was fatally attacked by a fellow Indian national who claimed he ‘resembled’ his uncle
A shocking incident in Austin, Texas has left the Indian-American community reeling after 30-year-old Indian-origin entrepreneur Akshay Gupta was stabbed to death on a public bus on May 14. The Austin Police Department confirmed that the assailant, Deepak Kandel, also of Indian origin, fatally attacked Gupta without provocation, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
Gupta, co-founder of a research startup, was targeted in a random act of violence while riding a CapMetro bus, with the accused claiming Gupta resembled his uncle.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), Kandel was sitting next to Gupta during the bus ride when he suddenly stabbed him in the neck. Witnesses reported that Kandel exited the bus calmly along with other passengers before being tracked down and arrested by APD patrol officers shortly after.
During questioning, Kandel admitted to stabbing Gupta, stating that he did so because Gupta looked like his uncle. He has since been charged with first-degree murder and booked into Travis County Jail. Homicide detectives and crime scene experts processed the scene and spoke to eyewitnesses onboard.
The tragedy adds to growing concerns within the Indian diaspora, as Gupta becomes the 14th Indian-origin person to die under violent or suspicious circumstances in the US in 2024.
Gupta had recently co-founded ‘ASG Research LLC’ in June 2024 and was seen as a promising young entrepreneur in the Austin area. The broader Indian community in the United States has expressed alarm, especially after a string of deaths among young Indian-origin individuals — particularly students — in the first half of 2024.
The Indian consulate is reportedly in touch with local authorities and Gupta’s family to extend support and expedite formalities.