Hyderabad: The fatal shooting in Kansas, USA, of an engineer from Hyderabad has sent waves of shock and grief in Telangana.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla, a 32-year-old employee of US technology company Garmin, died, while his colleague and friend Madasani Alok Reddy was wounded, after an American Navy veteran opened fire at them in a bar — in an apparent hate crime.
The news came as a shock to the state, where another family cremated a young engineer only a week ago. He too was shot dead in the US, by a suspected drug addict.
While Kuchibotla hails from Hyderabad, Alok, who has since been discharged from hospital, is a native of Warangal, the same place to which the victim of last week’s shooting belongs to.
Meanwhile, Kuchibhotla’s home in Hyderabad city outskirts was enveloped in gloom and grief.
His parents, Madhusudhan Rao and Vardhini, were in deep shock and unable to talk since they heard the news of the death of their son in the Kansas shooting.
Srinivas was their second son.
Another of their sons is in the US while a third, Shastri, is based in Hyderabad.
Alok did his engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technology University in Hyderabad and obtained a master’s degree from the University of Texas, El Paso. He is survived by his pregnant wife Sunayana. He was working in the aviation wing of Garmin.
This is second incident of killing of a Telangana youth in the USA this month.
Another engineer Vamsi Reddy Mamidala from Warangal was killed in Milpitas, California on February 10 when a suspected drug addict opened fire at him in the parking lot of his apartment.
He had gone to the US in 2015 and was searching for a job. His body was brought to Warangal on February 17 for last rites.
The father of wounded Alok, M. Jaganmohan Reddy, was also shocked since hearing about the shooting incident in the bar in Kansas on Wednesday night.
In a reflection of growing concern over the volatile situation in the US, since Donald Trump took over as US president, Jaganmohan Reddy appealed to parents to think twice before sending their children to the United States.
Reddy, who spoke to his injured son over phone said, “I am very much concerned about the security of my son and I want him to come back at the earliest. I request the other parents to think twice before sending their children to the US,” he said.
Alok’s elder brother, who lives in Dallas, informed the family in India about the incident.
“My son was staying in the United States since 2006 when he went there for his Master’s. But he never faced any problem. I think this is a hate crime. Such incidents have increased after the recent changes in the US,” Jaganmohan Reddy said.
Alok did his graduation from Vasavi College of Engineering in Hyderabad before going to the US for his post graduation in University of Missouri. He worked at Rockwell Collins and later joined at aviation wing of Garmin in July 2014 where he worked with Kuchibhotla. Amid rising alarm in India over the increasing climate of hatred and xenophobia under President Donald Trump, a popular South Indian actor Siddharth posted an angry message over Twitter.
“Don’t be shocked! Be angry! Trump is spreading hate. This is a hate crime! RIP #SrinivasKuchibhotla,” wrote the actor who is followed by 2.6 million on the Twitter.
India’s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj expressed deep shock over the incident and killing of Srinivas Kuchibhotla.
“My heartfelt condolence to bereaved family. We will provide all help and assistance to the bereaved family,” she said on her Twitter handle.
She said she had spoken to Kuchibhotla’s brother K.K. Shastri in Hyderabad and assured all help to the family.
“We will make all arrangements to transport the mortal remains of Srinivas Kuchibhotla to Hyderabad,” she tweeted. “I have spoken to Indian Ambassador in US Mr Navtej Sarna. He informed me that two Indian embassy officials have rushed to Kansas,” she added.
Ian Grillot, an American who jumped to the defence of the Indians and was wounded in the Kansas bar shooting, was being hailed as a “hero” in the Telugu media.
Dr Jayaprakash Narayan, a social activist and politician based in Hyderabad hailed his bravery.
“Decency and humanity always triumphs in the end; but not without struggle and sacrifice,” he said.
Grillot was undergoing treatment in the hospital.
