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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know Community News India Times (March 8, 2025 - March 14, 2025) March 14, 2025 8 Indian Student Found Dead In Wisconsin In Possible Armed Robbery I ndia’s Consulate in Chicago expressed sadness over the death of Praveen Kumar Gampa, a post-graduate student at the University ofWisconsin-Milwaukee, Wisconsin. News reports in Indian media quote friends and family members saying Gampa, who hailed from Kes- hampet village, Shadnagar Rangareddy District, was shot dead during an armed robbery. In a post on X March 5, 2025, the Consulate said it was in touch with the family of the student but details about the cause of his death were not spelt out. “We are saddened by the untimely death of Praveen Kumar Gampa, a postgraduate student at the University ofWisconsin-Milwaukee. The Consulate is in contact with Praveen’s family and the University, helping them with all possible support. Our heartfelt condolences and prayers are with his family and friends of the departed.” Raghavulu, the father of Praveen Kumar, speaking to ANI, sad, “He went to the US in August 2023. Recently, he came in December and went back in January. On February 21, he paid the entire college fees by clearing the 11 lakhs due. While going from here, he stated that he doesn’t need any money from here as he will get a loan amount.” The bereaved father also said about his lost son, “He speaks with his mother every day on call and sometimes calls me also. Yesterday at 2:55 am, I got a voice call, but I couldn’t attend it. Later, when we left a voice message, we did not get any reply. At around 7 am, when we called, the police lifted the call and said that they had found the phone. They asked for date of birth, we thought some fraud might have happened. We informed his friends. When his friends called, they were asked to reach that location. When they reached the police station, the police showed them a picture, and they confirmed his identity. We appeal to all the parents not to send their children abroad; let them study here. My son was doing a job here after his B.Tech. He wanted to do a master’s. He requested his mother, who told me to send him. I appeal all the parents not to send their children to America.” His mother told ANI, “We appeal to the government to bring back my son’s body at the earliest. I talked to my son the day before he was killed. He told me that every- thing was good and he was going to his room. After that, I don’t know anything. That was the last time he talked to me. He told me everything was good and there was no problem.” The death has drawn some sharp reactions from Indi- an leaders as has the X post of the Consulate in Chicago. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Kavitha said the death of the student fromTelangana was “very unfortu- nate” and urged the Telangana government and called on authorities to get the body home at the earliest. “Well, it’s very unfortunate. I heard about that news, and I truly demand that the Telangana government, and I request the Central government, to quickly process and get the body home, because parents here must be suffer- ing. My prayers are with the family. My prayers are with the students who are there. They must be frightened and afraid. Please stay brave. Indian embassy, Indian govern- ment, I’m sure, will come to your rescue,” Kavitha said. Bharatiya Janata Party leader N. Ramchander Rao told ANI, “The unfortunate death of a Telangana student who was working as a part-timer in a store in the US is an unfortunate incident wherein the US government also should try to protect at least the legal migrants who are now staying in the U.S.” “The incident has shown the racial discrimination still going on in the country of USA, wherein we are trying to avoid the racial discrimination. But, unfortunately, the ra- cial discrimination is being increased in spite of Indians’ contribution to the growth of the US economy,” Rao said, adding, “I think the government of the USA should take stern steps against such criminals who are trying to at- tack basically Asians, Indians, and that too Telugu people. This is not an isolated incident. Several incidents have occurred earlier also. So, the U.S. government should definitely take firm steps to protect the Indian students who are legally staying in the USA,” he added. -ANI PHOTO:X Photo used in Indian media reports Praveen Kumar Gampa I ndian American Reeva Gupta, 33, who was severely injured in a Long Island, NY, plane crash on March 5, 2023 that killed her mother Roma Gupta, 63, and the pilot, is suing two entities in what is described as an “entirely preventable” tragedy, NewYork Post reported March 3, 2025, following an exclusive interview with the surviving victim. A GoFundMe page created after the tragedy by “MSW Neurosurgery PAs’ on behalf of the Gupta family, has so far raised $211,018 of the projected goal of $250,000, through 1,700 donations. The story as it appears on the GoFund- Me page says the two women wanted to fulfill a lifelong wish and booked a flight lesson in Long Island. “While the flight was airborne, smoke was reported in the cockpit. The plane tried to make an emer- gency landing but ultimately crashed into a neighborhood in Lindenhurst, where the plane burst into flames. Reeva and the pilot were airlifted to the closest, and best, burn center on Long Island, Stony Brook University Hospital. Reeva is in critical condition, with third-degree burns over her body. She is fighting for her life,” the account on GoFundMe said of the situa- tion almost exactly two years ago to date. One month later, on April 5, 2023, the Gupta family sent a message to donors thanking them for their generosity and emotional support, adding, “This past month has been the most difficult chal- lenge we’ve ever faced as a family, but with your love and support we realize this is something we will overcome. Reeva remains in critical condition and is fight- ing every minute to overcome this. There have been ups and downs, but the overall trajectory for Reeva’s progress is positive. We are hopeful that she will enter rehab this spring and will continue to make progress on the long road to recovery that lies ahead. The journey will be challeng- ing, but Reeva is our Superwoman and we have every confidence that she will make it through this. Thank you again for all that you’ve done for our family.” In the latest development, as described by Reeva Gupta in a video on NY Post’s website, the young woman has appar- ently pulled through. The video shows the dramatic burn injuries she suffered. Gupta in her filing in Queens Supreme Court, accuses 2 BA Pilot NYC and parent company DannyWaizman Aviation, ac- cording to the NY Post report. “My life was changed forever. What was meant to be a mother-daughter bonding experience turned into a horrific tragedy,” Reeva Gupta says in the latest video. She said she is hoping to bring awareness about the tragedy and how profits over- shadowed concern for human life. She spoke about where her life was when the tragedy happened, noting that she was a physician assistant at Mt. Sinai Hospital, and had just started a new rela- tionship with her whole life ahead of her. She goes on to say that she has had to undergo “terrible, painful medical procedures,” and is permanently disabled. Her treatment would probably have to continue for the rest of her life, she added. NY Post reported that a federal crash report blames an electrical short as the cause of the crash,. The paper quoting from the court filing, also notes that there had been smoke in the plane’s cockpit just weeks before the two Indian American women went up on the plane. Severely Injured Daughter Files Lawsuit For ‘Preventable’ Crash That Killed Her Mother In 2023 By a StaffWriter PHOTO:GoFundMe.com Roma Gupta and Reeva Gupta hugging each other in a photo posted on GoFundMe page after the March 5, 2023 plane crash.