- Thursday, May 22, 2025
By: India Weekly
IN a tragic incident, Akshay Gupta, a 30-year-old Indian American entrepreneur, was fatally stabbed by another Indian man in a commuter bus in Austin, Texas, police said.
The Austin Police Department (APD) said that the incident happened when Gupta was travelling in a bus on May 14.
The suspect was identified as Deepak Kandel, 31, a homeless man. He later admitted to stabbing Gupta because he ‘resembled his uncle’.
The investigators have not established a clear motive and the probe is ongoing.
Kandel was reportedly sitting next to Gupta on the bus, and without any provocation stabbed Gupta in the neck.
Authorities say Gupta and Kandel had no prior interaction.
Police officers and emergency medical services responded to a call of someone being stabbed on a bus.
They said that despite life-saving measures, Gupta was pronounced dead on the scene.
Investigation revealed that once the bus stopped, Kandel calmly exited the vehicle along with other passengers.
APD patrol officers were able to locate and detain Kandel a short time later.
Kandel was booked into the Travis County Jail and has been charged with 1st Degree Murder.
Gupta, a Penn State graduate, had co-founded FootBit, a startup aimed at improving mobility and balance among senior citizens, reports Financial Express.
The killing has sparked public concern over safety on public transit.
