Gujarati businessman shot dead in New Jersey

Ashwin is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter, who live in the USA, while his other relatives, including his mother and sisters live at their ancestral village, Sarsa. The relatives of the victim at Sarsa village said they were shocked when they received the news about Ashwin’s murder, and demanded government intervention into the killings.

His mother, Shantaben Patel and his elder sister among other relatives who live at their ancestral village have said that they have been trying to go to the USA to participate in Ashwin’s last rites.

“I have not seen Ashwin since a very long time as he rarely visited his ancestral village after leaving for the USA. His family members here would like to go to the USA to participate in his last rites, and we would like to request the government to help us in going there. The government should also raise the issue of attack of Gujaratis in the USA and ask the US government to take care of Indians there,” said Ashwin’s uncle, Vishnubhai Patel.

In the last one year, there have been a spate of incidents in which Non Resident Gujaratis have been targeted abroad, with a majority of the victims hailing from Charotar region that comprises of parts of Anand and Kheda districts.

Amit Patel, a youth from Anand was killed in New Jersey on February 15, followed by the murder of Ashish Patel in North Carolina. Again, an NRI from Borsad was killed in New Haven City in US. Mradulaben Patel, also from Anand, was killed in South Carolina during robbery at her general store.