'Deeply Disturbed By Brutal Attack': US On Indian Graduate Student Stabbed In Indiana

The US State Department has wished full recovery to Varun and said that it defers to local law enforcement for any questions about this ongoing case.

The US State Department has wished full recovery to Varun and said that it defers to local law enforcement for any questions about this ongoing case.

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The United States has expressed regret over the "brutal attack" on an Indian student, who is in critical condition after being attacked in Indiana. Indian student Varun Raj Pucha was stabbed at a gym in Indiana. The US State Department has also wished full recovery to Varun and said that it defers to local law enforcement for any questions about this ongoing case.

Speaking to ANI, a US State Department spokesperson said, "We are deeply disturbed by reports of a brutal attack against Indian graduate student Varun Raj Pucha. We wish him a full recovery from his injuries. We defer to local law enforcement for any questions about this ongoing case".

Varun Raj was stabbed into the temple by the assailant Jordan Andrad, 24, in the Valparaiso city of Indiana on Sunday morning for reasons that are still being investigated, reported news agency PTI, citing the NWIU Times. The attacker was arrested and is facing charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and attempted murder.

Varun was studying MS at Valparaiso University, a PTI report stated. He is a native of Khammam town of Telangana and sustained a brainstem injury. According to PTI, Varun was rushed to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. 

"Varun was attacked with a knife by his attacker. He was ultimately taken to a Fort Wayne hospital due to the severity of his injury and was reportedly given a zero to five per cent chance of survival. Varun’s condition is said to be serious after the violent attack," PTI quoted the report as mentioning.

During interrogation, the accused told the police he had requested a massage that morning and walked into the massage room to find the other man, whom he did not know but found "a little weird." Andrade said he determined the other man posed a threat, he made sure to react the "right way," according to a charging document, as per PTI. 

He told Valparaiso Police that "someone" told him that Varun was "creepy" and "threatening" and feared that he would "assassinate him". Meanwhile, the police said, "Andrade then described (the man) as a threat to him so he, 'just reacted,". Meanwhile, his father Ramamurthy said they received the information that he was attacked while he was returning home from the gym.