Soumya Reddy, a student from Andhra Pradesh who went to the United States for higher studies, was killed by unidentified assailants at Illinois near Chicago on Sunday.
She is the fourth student from Andhra to be killed in the US since December 2007.
After
completing BE from Andhra Pradesh, Soumya (23) left for US in June 2007 to do MS in Electrical engineering at the Southern Illinois University.
Family Sources said they came to know of the incident during the early hours.
“First, we received a call last night saying she was seriously injured. Subsequently, we got another call informing she was dead. We have no idea as to what happened and who could have killed her,” said Venkat, her cousin.
“We have requested the government as well as the Indian Embassy in US to help us. Her killers must be brought to book and her body should be brought back to Hyderabad for final rites,” he added.
Soumya’s mother, Hema-latha, an employee in the Irrigation department, was in a shock and had not uttered a word since the news broke in. Soumya’s father, Gopal Reddy, had died a year ago.
Soumya’s elder sister, Sahaja, who left for the US at the same time, is currently doing her MS in Computer Science at Chicago. Family sources said Sahaja had left for Illinois to help the local police in whatever way possible and complete the formalities for the transfer of the body to India.
“We could not imagine she would meet such violent death. Soumya was a go getter and friendly,” one of her friends said.
A native of Muniyal, a small dusty village in Nirmal Mandal of Adilabad district, Soumya did not want to work after graduating in engineering.
Her ambition was to do MS in US and thereafter go for MBA and return to India after earning a lot of money. Her dream was cut shot by the unknown killer.