Epaper
Hyderabad, July 7 (IANS) A software engineer from Andhra Pradesh has been shot dead by unidentified assailants in South Africa, his family members said Tuesday.
B. Kiran, 28, who was injured in the attack Thursday, died at a hospital in Johannesburg early Tuesday. His family members in Andhra Pradeshâs Warangal district said a doctor hailing from the state told them over telephone that Kiran succumbed to the bullet injuries.
Kiran, who had been working in South Africa for the past two years, was hit by two bullets when unidentified people attacked him while he was returning from office Thursday.
A pall of gloom descended on Kiranâs house in Arepalli village in Warangal, about 200 km from here.
Dozens of relatives and friends called onm Kiranâs bereaved parents at their house on hearing the news.
âWe canât believe that our son is no more. We donât know who killed him and why,â said Kiranâs father B. Shankaraiah.
He recalled that Kiran had come home on a vacation last month and returned to Johannesburg June 27.
âHe studied and worked hard to come up in life. No parent should suffer this agony,â said his wailing mother B. Indira as top district officials visited the house to console the family and promised to arrange passports and visas for themto go to Johannesburg.
Kiranâs brother B. Satish told reporters that the South African police informed the family about the shooting incident late Monday. He said Kiranâs friends had not contacted the family.
âThey may be afraid of sharing any details as they could be probed by authorities there,â he said.
The software engineerâs family is still waiting for a call from the authorities in the Indian embassy in South Africa to know details of the attack.
Warangal District Superintendent of Police V.C. Sajjnar, who visited Kiranâs house, said he was trying to get information from Indian authorities. He also promised to help the youthâs family in obtaining passports and visas if they want to go to South Africa to bring back the body.
