Indian-origin executive dies after being assaulted in US

PTI, Feb 10, 2024, 12:55 PM IST

Washington: In yet another disturbing incident, a 41-year-old Indian-origin executive died in the US, days after he was assaulted during an altercation outside a restaurant in downtown Washington.

According to investigators, officers responded to the 1100 block of 15th Street Northwest outside Shoto Restaurant around 2 am for an assault on February 2. Once officers arrived, they found Vivek Taneja on the pavement. He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

A preliminary investigation found that Taneja and an unknown man were involved in a verbal argument that turned physical, WUSA, a television station in Washington, DC, affiliated with CBS, said.

Taneja was knocked to the ground and hit his head on the pavement.

He died from his injuries at the hospital on Wednesday. Police are now investigating Taneja’s death as a homicide.

Taneja was the cofounder and president of Dynamo Technologies. According to the company’s website, Taneja “leads Dynamo’s strategic, growth, and partnership initiatives, with an emphasis on the federal government contracting arena.”

Police continue to search for the man who threw the deadly punch. He was captured on surveillance camera.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a suspect involved in a homicide that occurred on the 1100 block of 15th Street, NW on February 2.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of an assault, where they located an adult male suffering from life-threatening injuries as a result from an assault. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

On February 7, the victim succumbed to his injuries.

MPD offers a reward to anyone who provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for each homicide in the District.

Earlier this week, Syed Mazahir Ali, an Indian student was attacked by robbers in Chicago. Earlier, 25-year-old Indian student Vivek Saini was fatally attacked in Georgia state’s Lithonia city by a homeless drug addict.

Four other Indian-origin students were reported dead in the US this year.