Los Angeles, CA, September 9, 2025: A 26-year-old man from Jind district in Haryana was shot dead in Los Angeles last week after he confronted an individual urinating in public. U.S. authorities have yet to make an arrest in the case, leaving the victim’s family in India shattered and struggling to bring his body home.
The victim, identified as Kapil, was born on May 22, 2000, in Barah Kalan village of Jind. According to reports, he had migrated to the United States in 2022 through the perilous “donkey route,” a dangerous journey across borders and deserts that cost his farming family nearly ₹45 lakh. He had been working as a security guard in California at the time of the incident.
Witnesses said Kapil objected when a man began urinating outside the store where he was posted. A heated exchange followed, during which the man pulled out a firearm and shot him. Kapil was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
The tragedy has left his family in a dire financial crisis. His parents, who mortgaged land and spent their savings to fund his migration, are now unable to afford the estimated ₹15 lakh required to repatriate his body to India. His relatives have urged both the central and Haryana governments to intervene. Local leaders, including village sarpanch Suresh Gautam, have also appealed for official assistance.
The case highlights the dangers faced by migrants who undertake irregular journeys abroad in search of opportunity, and the precarious realities of life for many working in low-wage, vulnerable jobs. As of Monday, investigators in Los Angeles had not announced any breakthrough or suspect in custody.
