By IANS
New York : A judge ordered that the suspect in Indian doctoral student Abhijit Mahato’s shooting death last weekend to be held even as it was officially mentioned for the first time Mahato was robbed.
The judge Thursday ordered Stephen Lavance Oates, 19, to be held on a $1 million bond on charges of robbing 18 people, including Mahato, whose wallet and cell phone were taken.
A chance encounter Wednesday in which a police officer was trying to pull over four men in a car for a traffic violation led to a high speed chase culminating in the arrests of Oates, an African American, and three others.
Oates was found in possession of a weapon and the investigators believe his crime spree stretches back several months.
Mahato, 29, was a second year doctoral student at Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering.
The Duke University community gathered Friday to commemorate the memory of Mahato, who belonged to Jharkhand.
Mahato’s friends have organised a prayer service at a Hindu temple on Sunday.
His body was sent to India to reach his hometown Saturday.