Credited from: INDIATIMES
Sai Varshith Kandula, a 20-year-old Indian national residing in St. Louis, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison after he attempted to carry out an attack on the White House using a rented truck on May 22, 2023. According to the BBC, Kandula's motive was to overthrow the democratically elected government of the United States and replace it with a dictatorship based on Nazi ideology.
Kandula, who has roots in Hyderabad's Chandanagar, confessed to authorities that he had even prepared for the assassination of President Joe Biden and others if required to achieve his goals. This information was reiterated in reports from India Times.
On the day of the attack, Kandula flew into Washington, D.C., landing at Dulles International Airport at around 5:20 PM. After renting a truck, he stopped for gas and food before heading toward the White House. Around 9:35 PM, he drove onto a sidewalk and crashed the vehicle into security barriers protecting the area, nearly striking pedestrians in the process. Following the crash, he exited the truck, retrieved a Nazi Swastika flag from his backpack, and attempted to showcase it, leading to his swift arrest by US Park Police and Secret Service officers.
His actions resulted in approximately $4,322 in damages to the National Park Service, largely for repairs to the damaged barriers and spill cleanup. As noted in the India Times, Kandula had meticulously planned the attack, making attempts to hire armed security and rent larger vehicles in the weeks leading up to it. Despite facing mental health challenges, including schizophrenia, the court emphasized the need for accountability for actions aimed at influencing government conduct through intimidation.
In addition to his prison sentence, the judge ordered Kandula to serve an additional three years of supervised release following his incarceration, highlighting the seriousness of this case that captured national attention.
For more detailed coverage, refer to the original sources: BBC, India Times, and others.