Two Indians including Gujarati businessman shot dead in US
Targeting of Indians abroad surges under BJP’s Hindutva rule since 2014
Washington: A 62-year-old Gujarati businessman from Gujarat was shot dead inside his store in Jackson, Tennessee, USA, with his 19-year-old daughter present at the time of the incident.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the deceased has been identified as Suresh Parsottamdas Patel, a native of Aakhaj village in Mehsana district. He had been living in the United States for nearly 30 years and had started a new business in Jackson City just a week before the incident.
Village resident Dinesh Suthar said a masked assailant entered the store on the night of August 20, 2026. “The accused first stole dollars from the cash drawer and then shot Suresh Patel, killing him on the spot,” he said. “A pall of gloom has descended over Aakhaj village following the tragic news,” Suthar added.
“During the entire horrifying incident, his 19-year-old daughter was standing nearby.” The incident has left villagers deeply concerned, with growing fear and anxiety over such crimes being reported against Indians in the United States.
In a separate incident, a 28-year-old man from Kapurthala shot dead while delivering pizza in New York. The deceased was from Kapurthala, Punjab.
The latest killings have once again raised questions about the safety of Indians abroad amid growing targeting of Indians in the US and other western countries, particularly since the Hindutva-aligned BJP came to power in India in 2014, raising concerns over the impact of New Delhi’s divisive domestic politics on its diaspora.
Analysts said the BJP’s promotion of Hindutva ideology at home has fueled a more aggressive Hindutva posture abroad, creating divisions within Indian diaspora communities and provoking backlash in host countries.
“Since the BJP came to power, we have seen Indian missions, temples and individuals being targeted in protests linked to India’s policies in occupied Kashmir, treatment of minorities and the spread of Hindutva narratives overseas,” a community leader in Europe said.
Reports from the US, UK, Canada and Australia in the past year have documented cases of vandalism at Hindu temples, clashes during rallies, and online harassment of Indian students and professionals. Several governments have expressed concern over the misuse of diplomatic premises for political activities and the import of communal tensions. Critics argue that New Delhi’s failure to address hate speech and majoritarian politics at home has emboldened extremist groups and damaged India’s image abroad.
