Cover photo courtesy: Akhil Sai Mahankali’s GoFundMe page
NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Atlanta, GA, February 7, 2023: Montgomery police have arrested a 23-year-old Indian student in connection with the gunshot death of 25-year-old Akhil Sai Mahankali.
It happened on Sunday around 9:30 p.m. in the 3200 block of Eastern Blvd, said a press release issued by Montgomery police.
Once officers and fire medics arrived, they found Mahankali, of Montgomery, with a life-threatening gunshot wound.
Mahankali was taken to a local hospital for treatment where he later died.
Police charged Raviteja Goli, of Montgomery, with manslaughter. He was arrested on the scene and is currently in the Montgomery County Detention Facility.
According to a source, the shooting was an unfortunate accident. The two Indian students of Auburn University worked at a gas station convenience store. They were examining a new gun that the store security guard had bought.
The security guard was supposed to have emptied the cartridges from the gun, but one bullet was inadvertently left behind, said the source. The death occured when Goli playfully pulled the trigger, thinking the gun had no bullets in it.
It was Goli who supposedly called 911 and the victim’s cousins after the incident.
“At present Ravi (Goli) is under trauma. Let’s condemn the rumors and help both the families and Ravi in whatever way possible,” said the source.
TANA (Telugu Association of North America) is helping send the victim’s body home.
Video footage from the incident has been handed over to the police, said the source.
A GoFundMe page set up by the victim’s cousin has raised over $100,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.
