United States: 26-Year-Old Indian PhD Student Shot Dead Inside Car In Ohio

The deceased Indian student, identified as Aaditya Adlakha,?was pursuing the fourth year?of his doctoral programme in the field of molecular and developmental biology?at the University of Cincinnati Medical School.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 24 November 2023 1:49 am

Indian PhD student Aaditya Adlakha

In an unfortunate incident, a?26-year-old Indian doctoral student died after being shot inside a car in the US state of Ohio. As per media reports, the deceased student, identified as Aaditya Adlakha,?was pursuing the fourth year?of his doctoral programme in the field of molecular and developmental biology?at the University of Cincinnati Medical School.

According to Hamilton County Coroner's Office, Aaditya died earlier this month at the UC Medical Center.

It has been reported that Aaditya?came to Cincinnati from north India to continue his education in medicine after pursuing is?bachelor's degree in Zoology in 2018 from Ramjas College of the University of Delhi in New Delhi?and a master's degree in physiology in 2020 from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

About the incident

On November 9, Cincinnati Police Lt. Jonathan Cunningham said officers found a man shot inside a vehicle that crashed into a wall on the upper deck of the Western Hills Viaduct.

Offiicials associated with the investigation informed that ShotSpotter, a gunfire locator service, reported about a gunfire in te area around 6:20 am.?Hi Lter it was discovered that Aditya's vehicle was hit multiple times and there were at least three bullet holes visible in the driver's side window.

After coming across the incident, the drivers passing by dialled emergency number 911 to report a vehicle that had bullet holes in it with a person inside who had been shot.

Aaditya Adlakha was transported to UC Medical Center where he was in critical condition and was pronounced dead two days later.

No arrests have been made since the shooting was reported, local media reports said.

What did the university say?

Expressing grief over Aditya's death, Senior Vice President of Health Affairs and Dean, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Andrew Filak said,?"Today, you might have seen news reports of his sudden, tragic and senseless death. Those who knew him, along with fellow students and others who may not have had the fortune to have met Aaditya, may experience a wide variety of reactions, which are understandable and expected."?

"He was much-loved, exceedingly kind and humorous, intelligent and sharp, whose research was described as novel and transformative. The focus of his work was to better understand neuroimmune communication and how neuroimmune interactions might contribute to pain and the inflammatory landscape in ulcerative colitis." Filak was quoted as saying by WLWT.com, a television station in Cincinnati.

"As a college and as Aaditya's academic home, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and to those who knew him as a friend and colleague," the Cincinnati Enquirer quoted the medical school as saying.