An Indian student pursuing a double major at famous Purdue University in the US state of Indiana who went missing on Sunday has been declared deceased, the university announced, news agency PTI reported. Tippecanoe County Coroner's Office personnel were summoned to 500 Allison Road in West Lafayette at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday to investigate a probable dead body. Upon arrival, a "college-aged male" was discovered dead outside Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories on Purdue's campus.
Neel Acharya disappeared on Sunday.
“It is with great sadness that I inform you that one of our students Neel Acharya has passed away. The leadership in the Department of Computer Science expresses our profound sorrow for his passing. I am deeply saddened by his loss. My condolences go out to his friends family and all affected,” Chris Clifton, interim head of the university’s Computer Science Department, said in an email to the department on Monday, PTI reported.
Clifton described Neel as a determined guy with academic talent. He attended John Martinson Honours College and was pursuing a major in both computer science and data science.
“He aspired to pursue numerous academic achievements and shared profound connections with friends. He was very proud of and cared deeply for his brothers at Triangle Fraternity. Neel could be counted on to reach out to others and make them feel included. He was an achiever and an includer, with his: most notable qualities being genuine kindness and unwavering compassion,” Clifton was quoted by PTI in its report.
Clifton informed the Purdue Exponent newspaper that he had received an email from the Office of the Dean of Students confirming Acharya's death.
"A deceased person was found that matched Neel's description and had Neel's ID on (him)," he said.
Goury Acharya, the mother of Neel Acharya, in a post on X on Monday, said: "Our son Neel Acharya has been missing since yesterday January 28 (12:30 AM EST) He is studying at Purdue University in the US. He was last seen by the Uber driver who dropped him off at Purdue University. We are looking for any info on him. Please help us if you know anything."
In response to her post, India's Consulate General in Chicago, said: "(The) Consulate is in touch with Purdue University authorities and also with Neel’s family. The consulate will extend all possible support and help." The exact reason for death is not known yet.
Acharya's death follows the brutal murder of Vivek Saini, another Indian student who had recently received an MBA in the United States and was pounded to death by a homeless drug addict in Lithonia, Georgia, making it the second student fatality in the United States in recent weeks.