HomeAsian AmericansBody of shooting victim brought back to family in India
Don't Be Fooled by Gift Card Scams

Body of shooting victim brought back to family in India

Aishwarya Thatikonda, a 26-year-old engineer who was killed in the shooting at a mall in Allen Texas, made a final journey back to India over the weekend.

According to NBC News, Thatikonda’s body was flown back to her loved ones Telangana, India, where she will cremated. Her family plans to hold a traditional Hindu funeral ceremony for her.

“The purpose of the funeral ceremony is to honor the body that hosted the soul in this birth,” Pandit Chandra Mouli, a Hindu priest based in Allen, told NBC News. “It also includes prayers for the soul until it attains its next birth.”

Thatikonda was one of nine people killed during a shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday, May 6. According to FOX 4 News, family representative Ashok Kolla spent all day Sunday searching for her after her roommates told the family she did not come home. They learned that she was dead after checking with the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Thatikonda came to the U.S. to attend Eastern Michigan University and study engineering. She moved to Texas after graduation to start a job. Family and friends said she was building a life in the area.

“This young woman came from India to go to school for better education and seeking a better life,” Madhu Bommineni, president of the American Telugu Association, told NBC News. “And without a thought, she was at the mall and now her family is grieving their loss.”

AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc. Follow us on FacebookX, InstagramTikTok and YouTube. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our efforts to produce diverse content about the AAPI communities. We are supported in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Latest

Worth the Time

Must Read

Regular Features

Latest

Discover more from AsAmNews

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading