Khammam youth shot dead in Chicago; went to US four months ago

Hyderabad: In a tragic incident, a Telugu student lost his life after he was shot by miscreants at a gas station in Chicago, United States of America.

The deceased was identified as Nookarapu Sai Teja (26), hailing from Ramannapet in Khammam district. His parents, N Koteshwar Rao and Vani, reside at Raparthi Nagar in Khammam city.

Sai Teja completed BBA in India and had moved to the US just four months ago to pursue his Master’s Degree at Concordia University, Wisconsin.

Sai Teja died in a shooting carried out by assailants in Chicago in the early hours of Saturday after grabbing money from him in a mall where he was said to have been working for the past few days. The assailants responsible for the shooting are yet to be apprehended.

BRS MLC Madhusudan Thatha, who called on the parents of the victim at their residence near Khammam, said Sai Teja was not on duty when the incident happened but helping a friend who asked him to stay on for some time. The friend had gone out on some work.

One of the relatives of the victim told media persons that the deceased was doing a part-time job. It is sad to know that Sai Teja was shot dead when he stayed on at the place of work to help a friend, the relative said.

The MLC said he spoke to the members of Telugu Association of North America (TANA) for help in the incident. The body is expected to reach India next week.

Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended at Sai Teja’s house in Khammam as his friends and relatives reached the house to extend solidarity to his parents.