Indian Father and Daughter Shot Dead in America

Special Correspondent#

A tragic incident occurred in Virginia, USA, where a 24-year-old Indian woman, Urmi Patel, and her father, Pradeep Patel (56), were shot and killed inside a departmental store where they worked. The Patel family had moved to Virginia from Gujarat six years ago.

According to reports, the incident took place on Thursday morning (local time) when a young man entered their store and opened fire. Pradeep Patel died on the spot, while his daughter Urmi succumbed to her injuries later at the hospital. The accused has been arrested.

The Patel family ran a store in Accomack County, Virginia. On Thursday morning, a man entered the store to buy alcohol. Reports suggest that he started arguing aggressively with Pradeep and Urmi over why the store had been closed the previous night. In a sudden act of violence, he pulled out a gun and shot them before fleeing the scene.

The accused has been identified as George Frazier Devon Wharton (44). Virginia police have arrested him on double murder charges and filed appropriate legal charges. Authorities are investigating whether he had any prior connection with the Patel family or if the attack was premeditated.

Pradeep Patel was a resident of Mehsana district in Gujarat. He had moved to the US with his wife, Hasnaben, and daughter, Urmi, six years ago. They worked at a store owned by their relative Paresh Patel. Speaking to Indian media from Virginia, Paresh expressed his shock:
“My brother’s wife and her father were working at the store when a man suddenly opened fire. We have no idea why this happened. We are devastated and don’t know what to do.”

Pradeep Patel leaves behind two other daughters, one of whom lives in Canada while the other resides in Ahmedabad, India.

This tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the Indian community in the US. In recent months, similar cases have occurred. A few months ago, Mainak Patel (36) was shot dead in North Carolina during a store robbery. The Virginia shooting follows a similar pattern, raising concerns about the safety of Indian-origin store workers in the US.## Picture: Anandabazar