Missing Indian student in US confirmed dead; body found on university campus

An Indian student who went missing in United States’ Indiana on Sunday has been confirmed dead, according to officials.

Neel Acharya, a John Martinson Honors College of Purdue University student pursuing a double major in computer science, has reportedly been missing since Sunday. The body of a “college-aged male” was found on Purdue’s campus and was later identified as Neet Acharya by the authorities.

The victim’s mother, Goury Acharya, appealed on Sunday on social media to help find her son, who was last seen by a cab driver around the university campus.

“Our son Neel Acharya is missing since yesterday Jan 28 (12:30 AM EST) He is studying in Purdue University in the US. He was last seen by the Uber driver who dropped him off in Purdue university. We are looking for any info on him. Please help us if you know anything,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

According to the varsity’s independent media agency, Purdue Exponent, the university’s computer science department was informed of the news of one of its students’ death by interim department head Chris Clifton.

“It is with great sadness that I inform you that one of our students, Neel Acharya, has passed away,” Clifton was quoted as saying in an email.

The Consulate General of India in Chicago was also in touch with the officials and the student’s families and has been extending all possible support.

Acharya’s death was reported a day after a video of an Indian student being brutally killed with repeated blows from a hammer by a homeless man inside a store took the internet by storm. The date of the incident cannot be confirmed; however, it took place in Georgia’s Lithonia and the student has been identified as Vivek Saini.

The Consulate General of India in Atlanta condemned the attack and added that it got in touch with Saini’s family immediately after the incident and provided all consular assistance in sending his mortal remains back to India.