Two Indian Ph.D. students at Louisiana State University were shot dead in one of their apartments yesterday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Chandrasekhar Reddy Komma (born 1974 in Hyderabad) and Kiran Kumar Allam (born 1976 in Kurnool), were married men and funds are being raised to support their spouses.
From the AP report:
Two students were found shot to death in an apparent home invasion at a Louisiana State University apartment, and officials decided to keep the campus open Friday while police searched for three suspects.
The victims, Chandrasekhar Reddy Komma and Kiran Kumar Allam, both international Ph.D. students, were found inside an apartment at the Edward Gay complex late Thursday night after authorities received a call seeking medical attention.
Both men had been shot once in the head, said Charles Zewe, an LSU system spokesman. Three men were seen leaving the area, and police were searching for them.
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The killings were the first homicides on the campus since the early 1990s, said Kristine Calongne, another university spokesperson.
[The Complex described above is for married students. Komma was visiting Allam's apartment, where they were both killed.]
The 911 call came in at 10:37 pm on Thursday. In a press conference today, President Sean O'Keefe hinted that this may not have been a random act. From 2theadvocate.com, where you can see a video of his press conference (print story, video clip):
While a joint team of LSU and Baton Rouge police officers are still investigating the motive for the killings, O’Keefe said the men “appeared to be targeted for reasons unknown.”
“This does not appear to be a random event,” O’Keefe said.
No arrests have been made.
Asked about a reported 2006 incident in which a chemistry student threatened one of the victims, LSU Police Maj. Lawrence Rabalais said that is one thing investigators are looking into. Rabalais said he wasn’t sure which of the victims was involved.
On LSU's official news site, there's info about an Indian Student Association memorial tonight and efforts to raise funds for the victims' families.
The LSU Foundation has established the Komma & Allam Support Fund to assist the students' families. To contribute to the fund, donors should make checks payable to the LSU Foundation, 3838 West Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808. For more information on the fund, call 225-578-3811.
There are 330 other Indian students at LSU:
During the fall 2007 semester, LSU had a total of 1,468 international students enrolled at LSU, 332 of whom were from India. That 332 represents the largest group of international students from a single country at LSU this fall. LSU's total student enrollment for the fall semester was 28,019.
As we learn more about this story, we will post it here. PLEASE HELP US COVER THIS! Please post links, updates, comments below or e-mail saja[at]columbia.edu
If you find links, info in the Indian press, let us know, too. Also, anyone know the timeline for when Bobby Jindal takes over at the Louisiana governor's mansion, which is also in Baton Rouge?
