Rs 1.7 cr raised for kin of slain US motel manager

A fundraiser launched to support the family of Chandra Mouli “Bob” Nagamallaiah, Indian-origin motel manager brutally beheaded in Dallas earlier this week, has raised nearly $200,000, at last reckoning, to help cover funeral expenses and his 18-year-old son Gaurav’s college education.

Nagamallaiah (50) was killed at the Downtown Suites motel by co-worker Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, a 37-year-old Cuban national with a violent criminal history.

Cobos-Martinez was released from ICE custody earlier this year after Cuba refused to accept his deportation due to his criminal record.

Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said the case underscores broader immigration challenges.

“This is exactly why the Trump administration was removing criminal illegal aliens to third countries such as Uganda and South Sudan,” she said, pointing out policy gaps that allowed the suspect to remain in the country despite a deportation order.

The Consulate General of India in Houston is closely monitoring the case and providing consular support.

Consul General DC Manjunath said the consulate “is in contact with the family and local authorities, offering all necessary assistance”. The Indian-American community expressed shock and grief.

Gitesh Desai, president of SEWA International’s Houston chapter, said, “This crime has devastated our community. We are offering every form of support possible to the grieving family.”

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America condemned the killing, calling it part of a disturbing national trend.

“These tragedies highlight an alarming societal breakdown — where political discord erodes cohesion, violence spreads unchecked and government responses are mere lip service. We demand full investigations and a national inquiry into America’s collapsing civil dialogue,” it said.

Indiaspora, a global network of Indian-origin leaders, said it was “deeply saddened and horrified by the brutality of this crime” and condemned the violent act “in the strongest possible terms”. “Every person deserves safety and dignity regardless of identity,” it said.

Suhag Shukla, Executive Director of the Hindu American Foundation, said, “Amidst several grotesque murders across America, our community is shaken again — now by the brutal beheading of Nagamallaiah by a repeat offender who was to be removed from our country. In times like this, we must remember our shared humanity and choose patience and acceptance over violence.”

The Dallas Police have confirmed the killing was recorded on motel CCTV cameras.

Cobos-Martinez remains jailed without bond pending trial.