Do we need to work in US after this: father of Indian injured in Kansas shooting

Hyderabad: The father of the Indian techie injured in a shooting at a Kansas bar on Thursday, has questioned the need to move to the US for work following the incident.

“After this nightmarish incident, do we really need to go work in US?” Madasani Jaganmohan Reddy said to a news daily on Friday.

Alok Madasani was injured when Adam Purinton, a navy veteran, opened fire on him and another Indian, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, at a bar in Kansas City. While Kuchibhotla died, Madasani escaped with injuries because of the intervention of an American named Ian Grillot.

Speaking to a news daily, Alok’s father said, “My son and Srinivas along with their American friend had visited the bar. The assailant started yelling at them to get out of his country. The American friend alerted the bar owner, who sent away the person, who was reportedly heavily drunk”.

However, Purinton returned with a gun and shot dead Srinivas, who was sitting alone. "Alok was holding a plate to have his dinner, when he saw the firing and tried to escape. Three shots were fired at him but two whizzed past him. The third one hit a wall and pierced into his thigh," Reddy said.

Reddy confirmed that Grillot had sustained injuries when he rushed to protect Alok from the shooter.

The report quoted a police official as saying that Grillot had tried to pacify Purinton by telling him that Alok and Srinivas were legal immigrants, but to no avail.

Reddy, who resides in Telephone Colony of Kothapet in Hyderabad, said his son had obtained his passport in Warangal, and hence it was initially believed that they hailed from that city.

However, he added that he had received assurance from his elder son, who works in Dallas, that Alok was safe.

Madasani Reddy said he was now trying to visit the US to meet his sons. “I have been trying for the last 11 years to book tickets to the United States, but in vain. My work has resulted in the trip getting postponed everytime. But this time I want to rush there to meet my sons,” he was quoted as saying.

Reddy added that he had also spoken to Srinivas Kuchibhotla a few times in the past.