Akul Dhawan, an 18-year-old Indian-American student at Illinois University last month froze to death near a club that refused him entry during a night out with friends, said police. His parents filed a complaint with the University of Illinois Police and questioned them about their search and the protocol they followed in the case.
Dhawan's parents believed that no search was carried out near the Busey-Evans Residence Hall and University police did not follow the protocols. They accused the University of Illinois Police of being negligent, ANI reported.
“As parents, we need answers. We have filed an official complaint with the UI police. We have the following questions for the university officials and police: The police say that they searched around the Busey-Evans Residence Hall at 2:09 am,” Dhawan's parents said in an open letter released in The News Gazette.
On January 31, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign said that police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the January 20 death of Akul Dhawan, a student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Information collected so far supports the initial belief that the death was accidental, and no foul play occurred, police said, adding that Dhawan was found deceased at about 11: 08 am (local time) on January 20 in the 1200 block of West Nevada Street, Urbana.
The statement added that a friend who lost contact with Dhawan called the police at 1:23 am (local time) and investigators have shared a timeline of the police response to that call.
In 2024, seven young men of Indian and Indian American descent met untimely deaths under various circumstances, ranging from suspected suicides and overdoses to violent acts.
White House official John Kirby last week condemned attacks on Indian students and asserted there is “no excuse for violence based on race, gender, or any other factor”, as per ANI reports.
Eric Garcetti, the US Ambassador to India also said that the Biden-led administration is "very committed" to assuring Indians that the US is a "wonderful and safe" place to pursue higher studies.
(With ANI inputs)
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