Indian citizen Sai Varshit Kandula has been sentenced to eight years in prison in America for attempting to attack the White House. On Thursday, a US court convicted 20-year-old Kandula of the crime. Kandula had attempted this attack on 22 May 2023. According to the US Justice Department, his aim was to overthrow the democratically elected US government and establish a dictatorial regime inspired by Nazi ideology.
Attack planning and action
According to court documents:
- Kandula, who is a permanent resident of the US with a green card, left for Washington from St. Louis, Missouri on May 22, 2023.
- He arrived at Dulles International Airport at 5:20 pm and rented a truck at 6:30 pm.
- Around 9 p.m., he drove the truck onto the sidewalk at the intersection of H Street and 16th Street in Washington, DC, and crashed into the security barricades of the White House and President’s Park.
events after the incident
- After the attack, Kandula got out of the truck and took a Nazi flag from his bag and started waving it.
- The US Park Police and Secret Service arrested him on the spot.
confessed to the crime
Kandula pleaded guilty to charges of damaging American property and vandalism. The Justice Department said the incident posed a serious threat to public safety and American democracy.
sentence and message
The eight-year sentence given by the US court is a strong message that the attack on the country’s democratic institutions will not be tolerated at any cost. The case also draws attention to the dangers of radical ideologies in America.
