Tragic Incident on Austin Bus

A tragic event unfolded in the Austin area of Texas when an Indian-origin entrepreneur, Akshay Gupta, was fatally stabbed by another Indian man on a public bus. Gupta, who was 30 years old, was sitting towards the back of the bus when 31-year-old Deepak Kandel attacked him “without provocation.”

Emergency services received a call regarding a “shooting/stabbing” incident on the evening of May 14th. Upon arrival, responders attempted life-saving measures on Gupta, who was declared dead at 7:30 PM.

According to police reports, Kandel stabbed Gupta in the neck. The authorities identified Kandel through CCTV footage from the bus. After the attack, he quietly exited the bus alongside other passengers and fled the scene on foot. Officers eventually located and detained him not far from where the incident took place.

Kandel’s arrest affidavit reveals that he claimed to have stabbed Gupta because he resembled an uncle. He is currently facing first-degree murder charges and is being held at Travis County Jail. Prior to this, Kandel had been arrested multiple times on misdemeanor charges.

At the time of the attack, there were reportedly 12 other passengers on the bus. Gupta was known for his work in the health technology startup sector; he co-founded a company called Austin Footbit, focused on enhancing mobility and balance for seniors, and also established ASG Research LLC in 2024.

Gupta earned a master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and was known to have met Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for discussions on groundbreaking innovations.