Indian student stabbed in US gym dies; accused found him ’weird’, say cops

mangaloretoday.com

Washington, Nov 09, 2023: Varun Raj Pucha, a 24-year-old Indian student who was stabbed at a fitness centre in the US state of Indiana, succumbed to his injuries, the university where he was studying has said.

Varun, a Computer Science student at Valparaiso University, was stabbed in the head with a knife by the assailant, Jordan Andrade, 24, at the public gym on October 29.

 

Jordan Andrade, who was arrested, told the police that he had walked into the massage room on Sunday morning and saw a man there. He did not know the man, but found him "a little weird", The Times of Northwest Indiana reported.

The accused described Varun as "a threat" and told police that he "just reacted" in what he considered the "right way". When police asked him where he stabbed Varun, Andrade said: "Uh, I just put it through. I don’t even want to say it. It was in his head."

REMEMBERING VARUN

A service of remembrance and memorial for Varun is being planned on campus for November 16.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Varun Raj Pucha. Our campus community has lost one of its own, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Varun’s family and friends as we mourn this devastating loss,” Valparaiso University, a private university in Valparaiso, Indiana, near Chicago said in a statement on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI.

“The university continues to be in contact with Varun’s family, and we will continue to offer assistance and support wherever possible as they navigate this extremely difficult time. We ask that you join us in keeping them in your thoughts and prayers,” the university said.

“Our university gives the family and friends of Varun Raj Pucha our deepest condolences. Our thoughts are with his family, and we pray for their healing,” said the university.

Varun had been pursuing a Masters in Computer Science and left for the US in August 2022. He was expected to return home (Telangana’s Khammam) after completion of his course next year.

His cousin told ABC7 Chicago that his condition did not improve and he was on life support. He only had movement on one side of his body and remained unconscious at a hospital in Fort Wayne before his death.

Courtesy: India Today