US Embassy condemns killing
AMN /
US embassy in New Delhi strongly condemned the shooting incident in Kansas resulting in the death of an Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla. In a statement, US Chargé de Affaires MaryKay Carlson said, the US is a nation of immigrants and welcomes people from across the world to visit, work, study, and live. She said, US authorities will investigate thoroughly and prosecute the case.
The authorities said, and witnesses told reporters that the gunman shouted “go back to your country” before opening fire.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, and his friend Alok Madasani, both employees at tech company Garmin, were having a drink at a bar on Thursday when a man allegedly shouted racist slurs at the pair and started shooting. Adam Purinton, 51, was charged with murder. Kuchibhotla, who was an aviation systems engineer, died in the hospital. Madasani and Ian Grillot, a third man who had stepped in to defend the pair, were injured.
Maintaining that the authorities have reached out to Indian consular officials to offer full support as they assist the victims, she said, the alleged shooter is in custody and is expected to be prosecuted for the crime. The embassy also extended condolences to the family and friends of the victim and wished a full and speedy recovery to those who were injured.
An Indian engineer was killed and two others were injured after an American navy veteran opened fire on them in a crowded bar in Kansas City in a racially motivated hate crime.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla wife said she had her doubts about staying on in America. Addressing a press conference organised by GPS-maker Garmin where Srinivas worked, Sunayana Dumala said while she was assured by her husband that “good things happen in America”, she wondered in the wake of the tragic accident whether she actually belonged to that country.
She said that reports of bias in the US made minorities afraid and that she was impelled to question “do we belong here”. Dumala said that shooting incidents in America had even earlier made her rethink where they should continue living in that country.
Since Donald Trump’s election, Indians have also been alarmed by his remarks about tightening the H1-B visa programme for skilled foreign workers.
The Hindu American Foundation condemned the killing, saying: “The murder of Kuchibhotla is the first reported bias-motivated fatality in the United States after the bitter presidential election.”
The US embassy in Delhi also condemned the shooting. “The United States is a nation of immigrants and welcomes people from across the world to visit, work, study and live,” the US chargé d’affaires, MaryKay Carlson, said in a statement.
“US authorities will investigate thoroughly and prosecute the case, though we recognise that justice is small consolation to families in grief.”
Hate Crime
The suspect fled and was arrested five hours later at a restaurant in Missouri. He reportedly told an employee there he needed a place to hide because he had killed two Middle Eastern men, the Star reported.
Adam Purinton, 51, was charged on Thursday with one count of premeditated first-degree murder and two counts of attempted premeditated first-degree murder, District Attorney Stephen Howe told reporters.
At Kuchibhotla’s family home near the Indian tech hub of Hyderabad, relatives backed government calls to ensure the safety of Indians living in the United States.