Indian-Origin Businessman Dies after Being Assaulted in Washington, Cops Release Video of ‘Person of Interest’

A 41-year-old Indian-origin businessman from Virginia, Vivek Chander Taneja, died this week days after he was knocked to the ground and hurt his head during an altercation outside a restaurant in downtown Washington, according to a report by the Washington Post.

The Washington DC police on Wednesday ruled the death of Vivek Chander Taneja of Alexandria as a homicide and said they are yet to make an arrest in the case. The incident occurred during the early hours of February 2 in the 1100 block of 15th Street NW, the Washington Post said in its report.

The police in its report said that Taneja and the man with whom there was an altercation had both been at Shōtō and Akēdo, two sister Japanese restaurants in the Midtown Center building, a 14-story building of offices, restaurants and shops at 15th and L streets NW.

The police said that Taneja was inside both restaurants with two other people and they left around 2am and reached 15th street. An argument broke out between him and the suspect and the argument turned into a physical altercation during which Taneja was knocked to the ground by the suspect and hit his head on the pavement.

Authorities said Taneja lost his consciousness and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where he died five days later. The report did not say if Taneja and the suspect encountered each other inside the restaurant.

The police have released a video of a person of interest in the case.

The police, however, did not elaborate on the nature of the dispute. Taneja was the co-founder and president of Dynamo Technologies, an intellectual technology company, the US-based newspaper said.

The restaurant outside which the altercation took place, Shōtō, also released a statement extending its condolence to Taneja’s family and said it was closed during the time of the incident. “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this incredibly tragic time. The incident in question did not occur at Shōtō and the restaurant was closed at this time,” the restaurant said in its statement.