‘Migrated to US to follow his dreams’: Family of Indian classical dancer shot dead

NEW DELHI: The uncle of the classical dancer Amarnath Ghosh, who was shot dead in the US, said that he still has no idea about the details of his nephew’s death even as four days have passed since he was shot dead.
“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.
Ghosh, a Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dance exponent from Suri in Bengal’s Birbhum district, was reportedly shot dead on Tuesday.The incident prompted his friends and associates in India to take to social media and appeal to the PMO, MEA, and US Embassy, for help.
The incident came in spotlight when TV actor Devoleena Bhattacharjee, who is famous for her character ‘Gopi’ from serial Saath Nibhana Saathiya, wrote on X, “My friend Amarnath Ghosh was shot and killed in St Louis academy neighbourhood, US on Tuesday evening. Only child in the family, his mother died 3 years back.”

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.
After the incident, Indian consulate in Chicago informed that it was following up the investigation of the incident with forensic, investigation and with police.
Condoling the death of the Phd student, the consulate said in a post on X, “Deep condolences to family & friends of deceased Amarnath Ghosh in StLouis, Missouri.We are following up forensic, investigation with police & providing support.”

Kuchipudi dancer Srimayi Vempati said she got a call on Wednesday from some of Amarnath’s classmates in the US, who informed her that he was missing.
After 24 hours had passed, the students went to police and later they were told of his death. Amarnath was Srimayi’s student.
Around five Indian students have died in separate incidents in the the first two months of 2024.