Andhra Pradesh student ‘killed’ 50 US computers, held

A student from Andhra Pradesh has been arrested by way of the Albany Police Department of New York beneath the prices of intentionally inflicting harm to over 50 included computers owned with the aid of a college within the New York kingdom of Albany on Wednesday.

According to sources, Vishwanath Akuthota, 26, is a citizen of India and a local of Chittoor who becomes dwelling within the United States on a pupil visa on account that 2015.

Vishwanath changed into arrested on February 22 in North Carolina after being charged with intentionally causing harm to protected computers owned by means of The College of Saint Rose in Albany, US Attorney Grant Jaquith stated in a declaration.

He delivered that Vishwanath destroyed dozens of computers well worth greater than $50,000 (approximately Rs 35.5 Lakh).

Video surveillance pictures showed a man with a red sweatshirt, blue denim, black shoes, and a grey backpack, the agent said.

Investigators and college personnel later confirmed that it became Vishwanath, who in accordance with high school data graduated in December 2017 with a master’s diploma in commercial enterprise management.

According to a criminal grievance, on February 14, Vishwanath entered several locations around the Saint Rose campus and inserted a tool into more than 50 computers utilized by college students.

The device, which resembles a normal USB reminiscence stick, sends a fast collection of strength surges into a laptop’s electrical hardware, rendering it inoperable.

Vishwanath became arrested in Raleigh, NC, and was charged with the clandestine destruction of extra than 50 computers at the faculty through the use of the “USB Killer Device”. The legitimate price is intentional damage to a covered computer.

An FBI agent’s affidavit in a federal criticism states that on February 14, an assistant director of safety on the college instructed Albany police that a man had entered numerous locations on campus and inserted a tool that destroyed each laptop’s motherboard, rendering them inoperable.

He seemed inside the federal court docket in Raleigh, North Carolina, wherein a US Magistrate Judge ordered him detained and transported to the Northern District of New York. The fee filed against Akuthota contains the most sentence of 10 years in prison, a nice of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. This case is being investigated with the aid of the APD and the FBI and is being prosecuted via Assistant US lawyer Wayne A. Myers.

Speaking about the neighborhood college students getting into trouble in different nations, the Telangana State Engineering Colleges Association (TSECA) president said that they need to obey the laws of overseas nations. “Those going overseas ought to hold good conduct and should no longer participate in any unlawful activities or create a nuisance for the government there. It will bring a bad call to our united states,” he stated.

According to TSECA secretary Yellaswamy, students have to be advised approximately the rules and guidelines with the aid of the university control even as being generic for publications.