In a tragic incident, Koyyada Ravi Teja, a 26-year-old man from Hyderabad, was shot dead in Washington DC on January 18 while delivering a food order as part of his part-time job. Teja, who had recently completed his master’s degree in the US, planned to settle there, get married, and bring his parents to the country.
Teja was delivering food outside a building in Washington DC when he encountered robbers attempting to flee the scene. According to family members, the robbers shot him point-blank, resulting in two fatal injuries. Teja died on the spot. The incident occurred in broad daylight at around 1:30 PM.
Teja had completed his master’s degree from Sacred Heart University in Connecticut and was actively searching for a job. His younger sister, Shriya, who recently graduated with a master’s degree from a university in Chicago, shared his dream of relocating their parents to the US. Teja’s father, Koyyada Chandramouli, a cab driver, received the devastating news in the early hours of January 20. “I knew something was wrong when I received a call at 4 AM. His mother and I should have recently visited the US for our daughter’s convocation. We would have at least seen him one last time,” he said.
Teja’s mother, Suvarna, has been inconsolable since learning of her son’s death. “Please bring my son back once for me to see his face,” she pleaded. Teja’s uncle, Koyyada Muthyam, shared that the young man was a responsible and caring son who frequently called his parents. “He was planning to visit Hyderabad once he secured a job. He wanted to relocate his parents to the US, just like some of his cousins,” Muthyam said.
This incident follows the death of another Telangana native, Sai Teja Nukarapu, who was killed at a gas station near Chicago in December 2024. Both young men shared the same name and were pursuing their dreams in the US. The family is now focused on bringing Teja’s body back to Hyderabad. They have limited information about the circumstances of his death and are relying on local authorities for updates.
