Moved to USA for better life; Indian father and daughter shot dead at convenience store

WASHINGTON: An Indian father and daughter were shot dead in Virginia, US. The deceased are Pradeep Patel (56) and his daughter Urmi (24). The incident took place at a convenience store in Accomack County, Virginia, USA. Both were employees of the store. Pradeep died on the spot. Urmi died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. Police have arrested George Frazier Devon Wharton (44) in the incident.

The incident took place on March 20, Thursday. George, who had come to the store early in the morning to buy liquor, asked why the store was not open at night. He then opened fire on Pradeep and Urmi. The store owner, Patel, said he did not know what provoked George.

Pradeep, who is from Kanoda village in Mehsana district of Gujarat, came to the US six years ago with his wife Hansaben and daughter Urmi. Here, he was working at a shop owned by his relative Paresh Patel. While Urmi was staying with Pradeep in the US, another daughter had relocated to Canada while the third daughter resides in Ahmedabad.

Indian-origin Mainak Patel, who ran a shop in North Carolina, was recently killed. Mainak was shot dead while trying to stop a shoplifting attempt. The murder of the Indian father and daughter in Virginia is followed by this. The Indian community in the US is in shock over the double murder.