Arrest made in murder of Indian man shot during robbery in US: Police
Houston (PTI): Police in the US state of Texas have arrested a man in connection with the killing of a 32-year-old Indian national during a robbery at a convenience store in Dallas.
Dasari Gopikrishna, who came to the US only eight months ago, was fatally shot at the convenience store in Pleasant Grove, Dallas, on June 21.
He hailed from the Yajali village of the Bapatla district in Andhra Pradesh.
Police have arrested 21-year-old Davonta Mathis for murdering Gopikrishna.
He faces capital murder charges for fatally shooting Gopikrisna multiple times, including in the head.
During the robbery, Mathis walked into the store, approached the counter and shot Gopikrishna. He stole items before running away, police said.
Gopikrishna was taken to the hospital in critical condition and later died.
Mathis was originally arrested and charged with robbery, but the charge was upgraded to capital murder because of Gopikrishna’s death.
His bond is set at USD 7.5 million.
Sgt. Curtis Phillip of the Mesquite Police described Mathis' behaviour as "very bizarre," noting the significant impact of his decisions at such a young age.
Mathis is also charged in a separate fatal shooting in Waco city on June 20. He shot Muhammad Hussain, 60, multiple times, who died from injuries at the hospital.
Meanwhile, the Indian consulate here is finalising arrangements with Gopikrishna's family to repatriate his body, officials said.
Representatives from the Telugu Association of North America (TANA) and family friends are collaborating with the consulate to facilitate the transportation of Gopikrishna's body to his hometown in India.
The consulate has confirmed that all police autopsies and necessary formalities have been completed, and they are prioritising the shipment of the body by Tuesday.
Gopikrishna's murder is the second in as many days of a convenience store clerk working the night shift.
The incident has deeply affected the Indian community in Dallas and surrounding areas. Gopikrishna is survived by his wife and son.
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Konkan railway collects Rs 2.41 crores from pilferage in February
Karwar: The Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) collected Rs 2.41 crore in fines and ticket charges from ticketless and unauthorized passengers during February as part of a special ticket-checking campaign conducted across the Konkan Railway route.
According to a press release issued by the corporation, the amount collected in February stood at Rs 2.41 crore, slightly lower than the Rs 2.53 crore collected during January.
The release stated that during February alone, railway staff conducted 873 special ticket-checking operations on the Konkan Railway route. During these drives, a total of 41,522 ticketless and unauthorized passengers were detected and fined, resulting in the collection of Rs 2.41 crore.
KRCL further said that since the beginning of the financial year 2025–26, a total of 10,368 special ticket-checking operations have been conducted up to the end of February.
During these operations, 4,54,849 ticketless and unauthorized passengers were identified, and a total of Rs 25.21 crore was collected as fines and deposited into the railway treasury.
The corporation stated that the special drives are being carried out with the support of railway officials and personnel of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) both in trains and at railway stations along the Konkan Railway route.
Officials of Konkan Railway have appealed to passengers travelling on the route to purchase valid tickets before boarding trains in order to avoid inconvenience.
The release also stated that ticket-checking drives will be intensified across all Konkan Railway routes in the coming days.
