Such incidents against Indian students have cast a shadow on the perceived safety of Indian students and professionals in the United States, prompting calls for greater vigilance and support from both the authorities and community members.
A 23-year-old Indian student has mysteriously vanished in California, sparking a widespread search by the police and public. Nitheesha Kandula, a student at California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB), has been missing since May 28, with her last known location being Los Angeles.
CSUSB Chief of Police John Guttierez announced on social media that Kandula was reported missing on May 30. He urged anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact the authorities. “California State University, San Bernardino Police along with our partners in LAPD, is asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of Nitheesha Kandula to contact us at: (909) 537-5165,” Guttierez stated.
Kandula is described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing approximately 160 pounds (72.5 kg), with black hair and black eyes. She was believed to be driving a 2021 Toyota Corolla with a California license plate, though the color of the vehicle remains unknown.
Recent brutal attacks/ deaths of Indian students in US:
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Last month Rupesh Chandra Chintakind, 26, went missing in Chicago
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25-year-old Mohammad Abdul Arfath, missing since March, was found dead in Cleveland in April
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Amarnath Ghosh, a 34-year-old classical dancer, was fatally shot in St. Louis, Missouri in March
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In February, 23-year-old Sameer Kamath, a student at Purdue University, was found dead in an Indiana nature preserve.
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On February 2, Indian-origin IT executive Vivek Taneja sustained life-threatening injuries during an assault in Washington
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In January, 18-year-old Akul Dhawan from the University of Illinois was found unresponsive outside a campus building
The police have appealed to the public for any information regarding Kandula’s location. “Anyone with information is urged to contact the CSUSB Police Department at (909) 538-7777, or the LAPD’s Southwest Division at (213) 485-2582,” the police stated.
This incident has raised concerns about the safety of Indian students in the United States. Recently, several similar cases have been reported. Last month, Rupesh Chandra Chintakind, a 26-year-old Indian student, went missing in Chicago. In April, 25-year-old Mohammad Abdul Arfath, missing since March, was found dead in Cleveland.
Additionally, the past few months have seen multiple tragic incidents involving Indian nationals. Amarnath Ghosh, a 34-year-old classical dancer, was fatally shot in St. Louis, Missouri, in March. In February, 23-year-old Sameer Kamath, a student at Purdue University, was found dead in an Indiana nature preserve. On February 2, Indian-origin IT executive Vivek Taneja sustained life-threatening injuries during an assault in Washington. In January, 18-year-old Akul Dhawan from the University of Illinois was found unresponsive outside a campus building.
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