Indians rally around student facing terror charges

Alarmed by a 22-year-old Indian graduate student, Sujith Venkatramolla

Alarmed by a 22-year-old Indian graduate student, Sujith Venkatramolla, facing charges of making terror threats with a knife and a bag of powdered sugar, more than 1,700 Indians across the US are asking that he get leniency — and psychological help.

They have signed a “Help Sujith” online petition urging Missouri’s governor, attorney general and other officials to “act swiftly to rescue this misguided student”. His supporters are asking the Phelps County prosecutor to turn over the case to the Indian government, which could then deport him to his hometown of Nizamabad in Andhra Pradesh.

Venkatramolla faces two counts of first-degree assault of a law enforcement officer and one count each of armed criminal action, resisting arrest, false report of a bomb threat and making terrorist threats. Each is a felony.

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Authorities said the civil engineering student walked into a building at the University of Missouri-Rolla on February 28 waving a paper bag, holding a knife and saying he had a bomb and anthrax. Campus police subdued Venkatramolla by shooting him with a stun gun. The white powdery substance turned out to be powdered sugar. No explosives were found.

Venkatramolla has remained in jail since his arrest. Last week, a judge reduced his bond, originally set at $250,000, to $100,000. Community members are expected to raise the funds.