‘He was to finish his course in four months’: Father of Telangana student shot dead in US

Kumar had gone to the US in August 2023 after completing his BTech in Hyderabad. He visited India in December 2024 and left for the US on January 20, 2025. “He was about to finish his course in four months and about to join a regular job and settle down,” Kumar’s father Raghavulu told the media, adding that he missed a WhatsApp call at 2.50 am Wednesday from a US number.

“We tried calling our son in the morning but he did not respond. When we called again, someone else answered and asked about his date of birth. We initially thought it was a fraud call. Later, we found out from his friends that they too received calls asking them to come to the scene. The police informed us that Praveen was shot by assailants with a gun. They initially said it was a private gun, then a store gun, and even mentioned it happened near a beach. Later, they sent us an FIR mentioning the incident took place at a store,” Raghavulu said.

Kumar’s mother Rama Devi was reportedly shocked and inconsolable.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Chicago expressed deep sorrow over Kumar’s death. “We are in touch with his family and the University to provide all possible support. Our heartfelt condolences and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time,” the embassy said.