Indian-origin tech executive dies after assault outside US restaurant

New York, Feb 10

A 41-year-old Indian-origin tech executive has died in the US, days after he was assaulted outside a restaurant in Washington, according to media reports.

Vivek Taneja, president and co-founder of Dynamo Technologies, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday after he was assaulted by a man on February 2 outside Shoto Restaurant, the WUSA9 news channel reported.

Taneja was knocked to the ground by the suspect and hit his head on the pavement, following a verbal altercation that got physical.

According to the police incident report, Taneja stepped in to defend a female companion who was being harassed by the suspect.

Police found him at around 2 a.m. on the pavement with life-threatening injuries and rushed him to hospital.

An eyewitness who knew Taneja told the news channel that the fight started inside the restaurant after which both men were kicked out.

Seeking public help, police on Friday released a surveillance video of the suspect walking in the courtyard outside the bar. They are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for any information leading to his arrest.

Taneja was a graduate of the University of Virginia and was well-loved by neighbours who left flowers on his doorstep Friday afternoon, the news channel reported.

The recent incident comes amid a spate of attacks on Indian students in the US with five of them reported dead so far this year.

Earlier this week, an Indian student from Hyderabad, Syed Mazahir Ali, was left bleeding from his nose and mouth after he was attacked by robbers in Chicago.

Expressing regrets over the attacks on Indian students, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti assured while speaking to the local media that America is a "wonderful and safe place" to study for Indians.