A village in Haryana, India, preparing for the festival of Diwali, was plunged into deep grief by tragic news from the United States. Pradeep Kumar, a 35-year-old resident of Hathlana village in Karnal, was shot and killed in a store near the Portland-Washington border.
According to sources, the heartbreaking incident occurred last Friday night. A retired Army man allegedly entered the store, looked around briefly, and then suddenly fired 3-4 rounds at Pradeep, killing him instantly. Shockingly, moments later, the attacker reportedly turned the gun on himself and died by suicide.
The motive behind the murder-suicide is not yet clear, and local police have launched an investigation.
Pradeep, the only brother to eight sisters and the sole breadwinner for his family, had gone to America about a year and a half ago hoping for a better future to support his loved ones. His father had passed away earlier, leaving him to care for his mother, wife, and sisters. He had been married for ten years but had no children.
Relatives mentioned that after eight months of hard struggle, Pradeep had recently found a good job. He had called home not long ago, happily promising that he would soon repay his debts. No one knew it would be his last conversation with his family.
On Saturday morning, the entire village was in shock as the news of Pradeep’s death arrived. A neighbor, with tears in his eyes, said, “We were preparing for Diwali. Pradeep always met everyone with a smile and ‘Ram Ram’. Now we are waiting for his return in a coffin.”
Pradeep’s family, already struggling under debt and living in difficult conditions, is now facing a severe crisis. They have appealed to the government to help them bring his body back to the village so that the last rites can be performed on his home soil.
