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NEW YORK: A 46-year-old Indian store manager was robbed and shot dead by unidentified assailants while walking to work in Delaware state in the US, the second such attack targeting the community within a week.
Kanubhai Patel, who usually carried cash for the store where he had been working for about five years, was found dead by his wife Ramila on Saturday morning, state police said.
Patel was found outside Christiana Skating Rink after suffering a single gunshot wound, said Gary Fournier, a state police spokesman, adding they had no suspects or motive.
The couple, who were married for about 20 years, moved to the United States from India in 1999, and had lived in Delaware for about five years, their friends and relatives said.
They have two grown up children who live in India. The police did not disclose how much money was taken, but said Patel routinely carried cash for the store’s register, The News Journal reported.
A 62-year-old Indian immigrant Inder Jit Jassal, a store clerk, was shot dead at a convenience store this week by an African-American man even as the assailant’s minor sons watched in the US’ Arizona state.
Patel’s family said he had left home at about 4 AM for going to Dunkin’ Donuts. Patel’s wife Ramila, who also works at the store, left home with a co-worker and walked to the store at about 5 AM. When they arrived, the door was locked and Kanubhai was not inside.
They were puzzled but decided to walk back to their home to get another key to the store. While crossing the parking lot, they saw the body on the ground.
“This is so tragic,” Fournier said. “A hardworking person is going to work, and out of the darkness is gunned down. It’s one of those horrible things.”