Man from Andhra shot dead in US

Hyderabad: A 42-year-old Indian American, hailing from Andhra Pradesh, was shot dead by unidentified robbers in South Carolina, his family members said Saturday.

Parchuri Balagopal, who was running a gas station in Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, was shot dead by assailants after snatching money from him.

According to information reaching his family in his native village Chitturpu in Ghantasala 'mandal' or block in Krishna district, the incident took place Friday night when he was leaving after shutting down the gas station. Armed assailants ordered him to handover the cash and though he gave them the entire cash, they shot him dead before fleeing.

The shocking news has plunged the village in gloom. The family has appealed to the state and central governments to help in bringing home the body.

Balagopal is survived by wife, a son and daughter who were living with him. After doing his engineering, he went to the US about 15 years ago and set up a gas station in South Carolina.

According to Balagopal's relatives, his parents, who live in the native village, are currently in Arunachal Pradesh. They had gone there 10 days ago to visit their daughter.