Philadelphia (US): A 28-year-old Indian national from Hyderabad was killed in a shooting while delivering food in Philadelphia, leaving his family stranded and pleading for federal intervention to bring his body home. The deceased, identified as Anshul Kuncha, had spent the last four years residing in the United States, where he initially arrived to complete his postgraduate studies before landing a role at a multinational firm.
Despite maintaining a corporate job during the week, Kuncha took up part-time shifts as a food courier on weekends to generate additional revenue. The fatal ambush took place on June 5 after he accepted a late-night delivery call to a secluded neighbourhood in the city. According to his sister, Tanvi, the delivery request appeared to be a premeditated trap orchestrated by the gunmen, who shot him repeatedly in the head before abandoning him on the street.
A striking element of the tragedy was that none of the victim’s personal belongings, cash, or vehicle were taken from the scene. This detail has led the grieving family to suspect that the motive was a targeted execution rather than a routine mugging gone wrong. American news outlets report that investigators are looking for two masked individuals spotted near the crime scene, though local police have yet to take any suspects into custody.
The sudden loss has shattered relatives and colleagues back in Telangana, prompting an urgent appeal to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Washington to help fast-track the repatriation process for his final rituals. This targeted killing reopens the ongoing conversation regarding the severe security hazards faced by immigrant workers and international students who navigate high-risk night jobs to support themselves overseas.
