The murder of 32-year-old IT engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in a restaurant in Kansas last Wednesday night has rattled the Indian community in America.
Srinivas, who was working with Garmin was shot dead by a drunk American. Adam Purinton (51), the shooter had yelled ‘get out of my country’, before shooting at Srinivas and his friend Alok Madasani.
Following the incident, The Telangana American Telugu Association (TATA) has advised Telugu speaking people to not converse in their mother tongue in public places.
The association has also asked members not to get into confrontations in public.
TATA has released a charter with five advices to the community:
1. Do not get intro argument that with others at public places.
2. Should someone provoke you, avoid confrontation and leave the area.
3. As much as we love talking in our mother tongue, it can often be misconstrued. Please see if you can communicate in English in public places
4. Isolated places can often be targeted. Please avoid going or staying alone.
5. During emergency, do not hesitate to call 911.
It isn’t just associations and people based in America who are feeling nervous after the murder, but those in India too. The NRI Parents Association based out of Telangana had said that they were worried about safety of students and young Indians in America.
The mortal remains of Srinivas reached Hyderabad on Monday night. Family and friends paid homage to him
The last rites were performed on Tuesday and hundreds of people from across the city came to pay their respects.