International

Atharva Vyas, Indian accused of assaulting woman and child detained, ICE called him ‘illegal alien’

2 min readApr 29, 2026 02:10 PM IST

A 24-year-old Indian national, Atharva Vyas, has been accused of assaulting a woman and her three-year-old daughter at a park in San Antonio, Texas, on April 18, US authorities said. Officials allege the child was bitten during the incident and suffered injuries, including the loss of two teeth.

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The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in a post on X, referred to Vyas as an “illegal alien” and said: “Atharva Vyas, a 24-year-old Indian illegal alien, allegedly violently assaulted a mother named Gabriella Perez and her three-year-old daughter in a San Antonio park April 18. Vyas allegedly even bit the toddler and knocked out two of her teeth.”

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Vyas entered the United States in 2023 on a student visa and was previously arrested for felony assault at the University of Texas. His visa was revoked in 2025, and authorities said he was in the US illegally at the time of the alleged incident.

ICE has lodged a detainer with local law enforcement, requesting that Vyas be transferred to federal custody rather than released back into the community once legal proceedings are completed.

Vyas was arrested on April 18 following the alleged assault. Authorities have made the allegations public, but the case has not yet been tested in court.

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