An Indian-origin entrepreneur was fatally stabbed by another Indian man aboard a public bus in the Austin area of Texas, according to the Austin Police Department.
The victim, 30-year-old Akshay Gupta, was seated at the back of the bus when he was suddenly attacked by 31-year-old Deepak Kandel, who allegedly stabbed him in the neck without any provocation.
Emergency services responded to a report of a stabbing — classified as a "Shoot/Stab" incident — on the evening of May 14.
Upon arrival, officers found Gupta with severe injuries. Despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at 7:30 p.m., according to a report by KXAN.
CCTV footage from the bus helped police identify Kandel, who exited the vehicle calmly along with other passengers and fled the scene on foot.
He was located less than a mile from where the bus had stopped and was taken into custody shortly afterward.
According to the arrest affidavit, Kandel told officers he stabbed Gupta because he "looked like his uncle."
He has been booked into Travis County Jail and charged with first-degree murder. KXAN also reported that Kandel has a history of arrests and releases on misdemeanor charges.
At the time of the incident, there were 12 passengers on the bus.
Akshay Gupta was a promising entrepreneur in the health-tech sector. He co-founded FootBit, a startup in Austin focused on enhancing mobility and balance for senior citizens, and also co-founded ASG Research LLC in 2024.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Gupta held a master’s degree from Penn State University and had previously met Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in recognition of his innovative work.
