HYDERBAD: A 22-year-old Indian student from Telangana’s Khammam district was shot dead by two assailants at a store in Chicago, USA, late Friday. Sai Teja Nukarapu, who was a part-time cashier at the store, died on the spot.
The armed assailants entered the store and forced Sai Teja to hand over the cash in his register before shooting him. His uncle here said they were informed about the murder after 5.30am (IST) Saturday.
After completing his BBA from a Hyderabad college, Sai Teja went to the US on June 15 to pursue an MBA at Chicago’s Concordia University. His kin said he had completed his shift at the store Friday night and was about to leave for the day when a co-worker requested Sai Teja to stay back and cover for him so he could leave a bit earlier. Minutes later, the attackers shot the student dead.
Sai Teja’s friends in the US told his family in Khammam that he was killed despite not resisting the robbers. “He was shot even after handing over the cash. The assailants must be severely punished. An innocent life has been lost,” the victim’s uncle said, adding that the family is rattled by the loss.
The victim’s father, Koteshwar Rao Nukarapu, and mother Vani live in Khammam town in Raparthinagar. His elder sister lives in the US. Neighbours of the family said DyCM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Khammam MP R Raghuram Reddy were talking to the external affairs ministry to help repatriate the body. Telugu Association of North America (TANA) is also helping in the initiative to bring back the body, but it may take at least a week as the post-mortem before all formalities are completed, relatives said.