‘Won’t let second son return to US’

HYDERABAD: Hundreds of grieving family members and friends bid a tearful farewell to Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla as his mortal remains were consigned to the flames in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Kuchibhotla, 32, was shot dead on Wednesday by a US navy veteran at a bar in Kansas in a possible hate crime. His colleague Alok Madasani, and an American citizen who tried to stop the shooter, were injured in the incident.

Tears rolled down the cheeks of Kuchibhotla’s father K Madhusudhana Chary as he lit the pyre of his elder son at the Mahaprasthanam crematorium at Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad in the presence of the engineer’s wife Sunayana Dumala, other family members and politicians.

Cries of “Srinivas Kuchibhotla amar rahe” and “Bharat mata ki jai” were heard.

Union minister of state for labour Bandaru Dattatreya, film actors Jeevitha and Rajasekhar and several other VIPs were among those who paid their last respects.

The funeral procession started from Kuchibhotla’s Bachupalli residence at around 12.30pm in a special hearse van decked with flowers.

Kuchibhotla’s mother Parvatha Vardhini was inconsolable on seeing her son’s body and continued to weep as people helped her back into the house.

“I will not allow my younger son to go back to the US again. I want him and his family to return to Hyderabad for good. He (Kuchibhotla) went to the US to serve that country. We were happy that one member of the Kuchibhotla family went to the US for a better future. What was the crime he committed for which he was killed?”

Kuchibhotla’s father said, “I believe in destiny. Whatever was destined to happen has happened. We only want that security of all our Indians working in the US should be taken care of.”

Neighbours and family members recalled how the 32-year-old spent his days before leaving for the US 10 years ago.

“I just did not have the courage to see the body closely. It is heartbreaking to see him in this condition. He was always lively and smiling. But now, he is lying in a state of rest,” said his relative Venu Madhav.