Missing Indian youth, studying at Purdue varsity, confirmed dead

Neel Acharya/ X

Neel Acharya, an Indian youth studying at Purdue University, was confirmed dead after being reported missing. The Tippecanoe County Coroner's Office located the body on the Purdue campus. However, the cause of his death is not yet known.

The computer science department at Purdue University has received confirmation of Neel's tragic death, PTI reported.

In Photos: Protests erupt in Libya after Foreign Minister`s informal meeting with Israeli counterpart

1 year agoPHOTO GALLERY

According to the report in PTI, Chris Clifton, interim head of the university's Computer Science Department, in an email to the department wrote, "It is with great sadness that I inform you that one of our students Neel Acharya has passed away. The leadership in the Department of Computer Science expresses our profound sorrow for his passing. I am deeply saddened by his loss. My condolences go out to his friends family and all affected."

Clifton, further speaking about Neel said, "He aspired to pursue numerous academic achievements and shared profound connections with friends. He was very proud of and cared deeply for his brothers at Triangle Fraternity. Neel could be counted on to reach out to others and make them feel included. He was an achiever and an includer, with his: most notable qualities being genuine kindness and unwavering compassion."

Clifton, according to the PTI report, told a local newspaper that he had received an email from the Office of the Dean of Students confirming Neel Acharya's death. He was quoted in the report as saying, "A deceased person was found that matched Neel's description and had Neel's ID on (him)."

When Neel Acharya went missing, his mother asked for aid on social media, and the Consulate General of India in Chicago promised her of their support.

Neel's mother Goury, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), wrote, "Our son Neel Acharya has been missing since yesterday January 28 (12:30 AM EST) He is studying at Purdue University in the US. He was last seen by the Uber driver who dropped him off at Purdue University. We are looking for any info on him. Please help us if you know anything."

"(The) Consulate is in touch with Purdue University authorities and also with Neel's family. The consulate will extend all possible support and help," the Indian Consulate said in its response.

This tragedy comes after another distressing case in which an Indian student was fatally struck with a hammer in Georgia. Indian student Vivek Saini, who recently got his MBA degree, had been sheltering a homeless drug addict near his residence in Lithonia City, Georgia. However, when Saini asked the assailant to leave fearing for his security, a heated argument ensued. Saini was then struck by the accused 50 times.

Meanwhile, an Indian student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) was found dead last week with signs of hypothermia. His parents filed a report against the school's police department for negligence. Akul Dhawan, who had gone missing on Jan 20, was found dead almost 10 hours later on back porch of a building near the varsity campus.