US: Indian scientist attacked by 3 teens, dies

An Indian computer scientist, who was brutally attacked by three juveniles three days ago while taking a walk with his family in a New Jersey suburb, succumbed to his injuries on Monday, said the police.

The three 17-year-old assailants, whose names have been withheld because of their age, have been arrested and charged with homicide.

Divyendu Sinha, 49, an IIT Kharagpur alumnus who was working as a consultant with Siemens, sustained injuries after he was attacked by three teenagers on Friday night when he was walking with his family near his home in Old Bridge in New Jersey. His two sons, who were also accompanying him, were not seriously injured in the attack.

Local prosecutor Bruce Kaplan said the preliminary investigation into the attack on Sinha indicate that the assault was 'not racially motivated' but rather a random attack. However, the police said that a final determination about the motive would be determined only after the investigation was complete.

According to his friend Prakash Waghmare, Sinha was 'a very gentle person'. After graduating from IIT Kharagpur, he earned his PhD from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken in New Jersey and worked at the College of Staten Island for some time.

Sinha, who has also authored several books on computer imaging, and his sons were going for a walk when "a car came by and they pounced on him."

The police received a 911 call around 11.30 pm, Waghmare was quoted as saying by the local Star Ledger. When the police arrived, Sinha was found lying on the ground outside his house. Friends and family have organised a memorial service for Sinha on Wednesday.