John Jefferson
Dahal Umesh, as seen in a Facebook photo shared by family, and suspect Bishal Rai (Metropolitan Nashville Police Department)
A husband and father of two out on Saturday night in Nashville, Tennessee, for a rock concert at a Topgolf venue known as The Cowan was allegedly kicked in the head while “trying to break up an argument” in the parking lot, leading to his death days later. The suspect initially arrested on an aggravated assault charge will face a criminal homicide case as a result, authorities say.
According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, 41-year-old Dahal Umesh was among a crowd gathered at The Cowan to take in the Nepali band Mantra’s performance when an unspecified “dispute erupted inside” the venue and spilled out into the parking lot.
As the victim tried to “defuse the argument,” he was allegedly attacked — with fatal consequences.
Investigators have identified the suspect in the attack as 26-year-old Bishal Rai, and it is alleged that the defendant kicked Umesh in the head, even as the victim was on the ground.
“Umesh was reportedly trying to defuse the argument when he was punched, causing him to fall and hit his head on the concrete. He was then kicked in the head while on the ground,” police said.
Cops said that the victim died on Monday, which was the day Rai was taken into custody, but it’s unclear if he will be the only person facing charges.
“The investigation is continuing into the potential involvement of other persons in the fatal assault on Umesh,” police said.
In a Facebook post, Naresh Dahal expressed “deep sorrow” about his brother’s death.
“He breathed his last on Monday morning after succumbing to head injuries in a hospital in downtown Nashville,” the post said, noting that Umesh would have turned 42 on July 5. “At this moment of acute pain and grief, may The Almighty bestow enough strength to the bereaved families to bear the loss of this humble soul who is survived by his wife and two daughters.”
Davidson County court records reviewed by Law&Crime say that Rai is held without bond and expected to appear in court on the morning of July 11.
Records say that a prior aggravated assault by strangulation case was brought against Rai on June 27, 2023, but the felony case ended with a dismissal in October 2023.
The alleged fatal attack on Umesh unfolded on June 29, 2024, nearly a year to the day of Rai’s previous arrest, records say.
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