Indian Classical Dancer Shot Dead In US; Devoleena Bhattacharjee Seeks Justice

Television actor Devoleena Bhattacharjee has reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for assistance following the tragic death of her friend in the United States. According to Bhattacharjee, her friend, Amarnath Ghosh, was fatally shot while taking an evening walk in the St. Louis Academy neighbourhood.

In a heartfelt post on social media platform X, Bhattacharjee lamented the loss of her friend, highlighting that Ghosh was the sole child in his family and had lost both his parents—his mother three years ago and his father during childhood. Describing Ghosh as an excellent dancer and a PhD pursuer from Kolkata, Bhattacharjee expressed shock over the sudden and senseless nature of his death.

Ghosh was also the recipient of a National Scholarship for Kuchipudi, from the International Cultural Ministry. He was trained under Bobita Dey Sarkar, Sri MV Narasimhachari and Padma Sri Adyar K Lakshman, reports NDTV.

Friend "Shot Multiple Times During Evening Walk" In US: Devoleena Bhattacharjee

Check out the actor's tweet here.

My friend #Amarnathghosh was shot & killed in St louis academy neigbourhood, US on tuesday evening.

Only child in the family, mother died 3 years back. Father passed away during his childhood.

Well the reason , accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one…

— Devoleena Bhattacharjee (@Devoleena_23) March 1, 2024

Despite the tragedy, details surrounding the incident, including the identity of the perpetrator and the motive, remain undisclosed. Bhattacharjee emphasised the lack of information and advocacy for justice, pointing out that Ghosh's few friends are left to fight for his case. 

The grieving actor disclosed that efforts are underway to claim Ghosh's body, but as of now, there have been no updates on the progress. Bhattacharjee took to social media to tag the Indian Embassy in the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, urging for their intervention and support in the matter.

The Consulate General later said it is “extending all help to relatives of deceased Amarnath Ghosh." They added, Taken up the case strongly with St Louis police and the University for investigation of the reprehensible gun attack.”

The news of Ghosh's death adds to a concerning trend of violence targeting individuals of Indian descent in the United States in recent months. Just recently, an Indian-origin motel owner was fatally shot by a homeless trespasser in Newport City, North Carolina. Furthermore, on February 10, a 41-year-old Indian-origin IT executive succumbed to life-threatening injuries sustained during an assault outside a restaurant in Washington.

Before these incidents, a 25-year-old Indian student, Vivek Saini, fell victim to violence in Lithonia City, Georgia, at the hands of a homeless drug addict. These tragic events have sparked concerns about the safety and security of the Indian community residing in the United States, prompting calls for greater attention and action from authorities.