Indian dancer shot dead in US was following his dancing dreams: Family

Suri, West Bengal: Classical dancer Amarnath Ghosh's uncle on Saturday said he was still waiting for details about the dancer’s death in the US four days after he was shot dead.

Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer Amarnath Ghosh, who hailed from West Bengal's Birbhum district and migrated to the US last year “to follow his dancing dreams,” was shot several times near the border of St Louis' Academy and Central West End neighbourhoods. He died on the spot.

“We had informed the district police and administration about what we had heard from various sources. But till today we don't have any details about his death, Amarnath's uncle Shyamal Ghosh said in Suri.

Amarnath, whose parents are no more, used to stay at Subhas Pally locality of Suri town. He is the only child of his parents.

Local councillor Suparna Roy also said that they didn't have any information about the killing.

No official of the Birbhum district administration was available for comment on this issue.

“Hope we get the update of this heinous crime as early as possible. If I am not wrong this is 5th or 6th murder of Indian Students in 2 months. We all are worried here & griefing,” actor Devoleena Bhattacharjee, who is a friend of Amarnath’s, said in a post on X on Saturday.

It was Bhattacharjee, who first alerted the authorities on social media about Ghosh's death.

Bhattacharjee tagged the X handles of the Indian Embassy in the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to look into the matter.

“Only child in the family, mother died 3 years back. Father passed away during his childhood… the reason, accused details everything are not revealed yet or perhaps no one left in his family to fight for it except his few friends,” she said on Friday.

PTI with edits