India’s Consulate in New York announced on Friday that an Indian student in Ohio has passed away, with local police now conducting an investigation. This incident marks the most recent in a series of tragic events that have deeply affected the community in the country.

In a post on X, the Consulate General of India in New York expressed profound sorrow over the untimely passing of “Mr Uma Satya Sai Gadde, an Indian student in Cleveland, Ohio.”

The Consulate stated that a police investigation into the death is currently ongoing, and reiterated its commitment to maintaining communication with the deceased student’s family in India.

The consulate affirmed that all possible assistance, including arrangements for the swift repatriation of Mr Uma Gadde’s mortal remains to India, is being provided.

Since the start of 2024, there have been at least six deaths of Indian and Indian-origin students in the United States. The alarming escalation in these incidents has raised significant concerns within the community.

In the previous month, Amarnath Ghosh, a 34-year-old trained classical dancer from India, tragically lost his life after being shot in St. Louis, Missouri.

Sameer Kamath, a 23-year-old Indian-American student enrolled at Purdue University, was discovered deceased in a nature preserve located in Indiana, on February 5.

On February 2nd, Vivek Taneja, a 41-year-old Indian-origin IT executive, sustained life-threatening injuries during an assault outside a restaurant in Washington, marking the seventh death of an Indian or Indian-American individual in recent months in the United States.

The string of attacks on individuals of Indian and Indian-origin had prompted officials from the Indian Embassy in Washington and its consulates across different locations to organize a virtual interaction with Indian students nationwide. The discussion revolved around various aspects of student well-being and strategies to maintain connectivity within the broader diaspora.

Approximately 150 office bearers from the Indian Student Association and students representing 90 universities across the United States participated in the interaction, which was led by Charge d’Affaires Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan.

The event was additionally attended by the Consul Generals of India from Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.