NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Austin, TX, May 21, 2025: In a shocking act of violence, Akshay Gupta, a 30-year-old Indian-origin health tech entrepreneur, was fatally stabbed by a fellow Indian passenger on a CapMetro bus in Austin, Texas, in an unprovoked attack on the evening of May 14.
The Austin Police Department responded to a 911 call around 6:45 p.m. reporting a stabbing on a bus traveling along South Lamar Boulevard. Officers arrived to find Gupta suffering from critical injuries. Despite immediate life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene by 7:30 p.m.
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Deepak Kandel, was arrested shortly afterward near the scene. According to the police report and witness accounts, Kandel had been sitting next to Gupta on the bus when he suddenly and without provocation stabbed him in the neck. During questioning, Kandel told investigators that he committed the attack because Gupta resembled his uncle.
Kandel, who is also of Indian origin and reportedly homeless, has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held at the Travis County Jail. Further investigation revealed that Kandel has a lengthy arrest history in Travis County. Court records show he has been arrested more than a dozen times, with multiple cases dismissed, declined, or left unprosecuted. The charges in his past arrests have not been publicly detailed, but law enforcement officials expressed frustration over what they say is a pattern of missed opportunities to intervene.
The Austin Police Association released a statement criticizing the repeated lack of prosecution in Kandel’s earlier cases. “Even individuals experiencing mental health crises must be held accountable to prevent escalation,” said the Association in response to the tragedy.
CapMetro, Austin’s public transit authority, expressed outrage and sadness over the incident. “We are heartbroken by this senseless act of violence. Passenger safety is our top priority, and we are cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation,” the agency said in a statement.
Akshay Gupta, described by friends and colleagues as a visionary in the health technology space, co-founded a startup focused on using AI to improve patient care.
