Hate crime against Indians in US: Now, NRI businessman Harnish Patel shot dead in South Carolina

Los Angeles : Just 2 weeks after an Indian engineer was shot dead in Kansas city of America because of hate crime, another NRI businessman of Gujarati origin has been shot dead in Lancaster in South Carolina. The victim, Harnish Patel, was killed on spot after he was shot by an unidentified assailant outside his house. Patel ran Speedee Mart in Lancaster and had closed his shop on Thursday when the tragedy occurred.

43-year-old Harnish originally hails from Avakhal village in Sinor taluka of Vadodara district and had been living in the US with his family for over 14 years.

His killing just 2 days after US President Donald Trump condemned any sort of hate crimes in the country and showed his condolence over the killing of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in a pub in Kansas.

As per reports, motive behind Harnish’s death is yet to be ascertained, however, police officials believe that the incident appears to be ‘racially motivated’.

According to Patel’s extended family in Avakhal, “The last time Harnish came to India was a few years ago for a wedding in the family. We were not much in touch with them. We are too shocked to speak about the tragic loss in the family.”

Since Harnish and Sonal’s parents had moved to the US several years ago to live with the couple, the family has decided to perform his last rites in the US

Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, died at a hospital after shooting at a crowded suburban Kansas City bar in February. Officials cited that the attack was racially motivated.