Kansas Governor Sam Brownback said the “hateful actions” of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla’s killer did not define the rest of the state, PTI reported on Sunday. Brownback had met the Indian Consul-General in Houston, Anupam Ray along with a delegation of Indian-Americans and members of the Hindu-American Foundation on Thursday.
The governor had said he was ashamed of the shooting, which was uncharacteristic of his state, Ray told IANS. “Kansas state welcomes and supports the Indian community,” Brownback said in a tweet after the meeting on Thursday. He assured the delegation that the incident, which is being investigated by the nation’s Federal Bureau of Investigation, would have the full cooperation of his administration.
“Unique contributions of the Indian-community make Kansas State a better place. We stand with them in the face of this crime,” Kansas Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer said after the meeting.
“Governor Brownback’s commitment to help get Srinivas’ widow, Sunayana Dumala, back to her home and career in Kansas was also heartening,” said Sridhar Harohalli, chairperson of the Indian Association of Kansas City board of trustees.
There had been reports that she was facing trouble with her visa, but Dumala said she will return to the US. She thanked Senator Jerry Moran and Congressman Kevin Yoder for helping her with her migration status. Kuchibhotla had been living in the US on an H-1B visa, while Dumala was there on an H4 dependent visa.
Kuchibhotla was shot dead at a Kansas City bar on February 22 by a Navy veteran, Adam Purinton. His friends Alok Madasani and Ian Grillot were also shot at by Puriton.
On March 1, the White House had called the Kansas shooting an “act of racially motivated hatred” after the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed that it was a hate crime. Eyewitnesses had heard the assailant shout “Get out of my country” before he started shooting at the men, who he had believed were Arabs.
After Kuchibhotla’s murder, however, there have been at least two more cases of suspected hate crimes in the US. A store owner of Indian origin was found dead outside his residence in South Carolina days after the Kansas incident. In Seattle, a masked gunman shot a man from the Sikh community, shouting “go back to your own country” on Saturday.
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