Wife Of Indian Shot Dead By American Asks ‘Do We Belong Here’
HOUSTON : Sunayana Dumala, the wife of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was shot dead in Kansas, in an apparent hate crime by a Navy veteran at a bar in Olathe city has said that she had her doubts about staying in the US but was assured by her husband that “good things happen in America”.
Speaking at a news conference organised by GPS-maker Garmin where Mr Srinivas worked, Sunayana Dumala said reports of bias in the US make minorities afraid as she questioned “do we belong here”.She said she now wonders what the US government will do to stop hate crimes against minorities.
Ms Dumala said she was concerned about shootings incidents in America and had doubted whether they should stay in the country, but her husband said that assured her saying that “good things happen in America.”
Hyderabad engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead at a bar in US Consulate General of India in Houston, Anupam Ray, is supervising the current situation and providing all possible help for the grieving family and the community in the Olathe area of Kansas.
“Immediately when the incident occurred, Consulate rushed Deputy Consul R D Joshi and Vice Consul H Singh to Kansas to be with the family of Srinivas at this trying moment,” Anupam Ray told PTI.
Ever since, they have been with Mr Kuchibhotla’s family and have assured Ms Dumala of all possible support and help at this grieving moment, he said. Consulate Joshi also met Alok Madasani injured in the shooting along with the shocked and frightened Indian community in Olathe on Wednesday night.
Mr Madasani is now stable and has been discharged from the hospital.A third person, an American man identified as Ian Grillot, 24, who tried to intervene also received injuries in the firing at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe in Kansas City in the US state of Missouri.
A University of Kansas Hospital spokeswoman said he is in fair condition. Adam Purinton, 51, is charged with the premeditated murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla
The incident evoked outrage from in the US and India with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj expressing shock over the incident.”I am shocked at the shooting incident in Kansas in which Srinivas Kuchibhotla has been killed. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved family,” she said in a tweet yesterday.
The shooter, Adam Purinton, reportedly got into an argument with the victims in the terms of racism, and shouted “get out of my country”, “terrorist” before shooting them.He reportedly provoked them into an argument asking about their presence and work in his country, and how they are better than him.
