North Texas Indian community on edge after teen stabbed while walking dog

A vicious attack on a 15-year-old Indian American student during what was supposed to be a typical evening dog walk in Frisco, Texas, has raised safety concerns among neighbors amid escalating anti-immigrant rhetoric targeting the area’s rapidly growing Indian American community.

What happened: Ankur Dhar was stabbed by an unknown individual who approached him in the 1500 block of Plum Valley Lane in the Grayhawk neighborhood at around 8:45 p.m. on Aug. 17. The stranger initially engaged the teenager in conversation, asking his name and inquiring about Lone Star High School, where he attends.

The encounter turned violent when the attacker pulled out a knife. “He started running at me and he stabbed me with a knife and then he just ran off,” Dhar told CBS Texas. A neighbor’s security camera captured parts of the attack, which occurred just two houses from Dhar’s home. The victim received treatment at a nearby hospital, while the suspect remains at large.

About the community: Asian Americans saw their fastest population growth nationwide in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area between 2022 and 2023, with Collin County — where Frisco is located — accounting for nearly 22% of the area’s 44,000 new Asian residents. Among Asian groups in the area, those of Indian descent make up the largest segment at roughly 35%.

Further back, the county’s Indian American population has more than doubled from 3.8% to 7.5% over the past decade. Corporate expansions by major employers like Toyota and JP Morgan Chase have drawn professionals to the region. Unsurprisingly, the community has built a strong presence, as seen in the India Association of North Texas’ annual Anand Bazaar festival that attracts thousands, and the expansion of India Bazaar grocery chain to at least 10 DFW locations since opening in 2004.

The big picture: The attack occurred as anti-immigrant hostility targeting Indian Americans intensifies across Texas. Earlier this month, a video of apparent South Asians shopping at a Frisco Costco went viral on X. “The Indian takeover in full view. Hardly any Americans in sight,” user @info_maiden wrote in their post, adding that their population has “exploded 4,510%” over the last 20 years. “H-1B betrayal robs our people of jobs, wipes out our heritage and erases our communities.”

Meanwhile, Indians in Ireland have also fallen victims to a wave of racist violence. In one incident, a taxi driver was hospitalized after two passengers attacked him with a broken bottle, hitting his forehead twice while shouting “go back to your country.”

Anyone with information about the stabbing is urged to call Frisco police at 972-292-6010 or text FRISCOPD followed by the tip to 847411.