Hundreds gather for peace march, to celebrate Kansas victim’s life in US
HOUSTON: Hundreds of people in Kansas City joined a peace march and prayer vigil, celebrating the life of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla cut short in a senseless triple shooting incident at a pub in an apparent hate crime.
Marchers held pictures, banners and shouted, “We want peace”; “We love peace”; “Let us not leave our children”; “Unity is part of community, together we stand, divided we fall”.
Many of them carried candles and signs reading, “We don’t support politics of hate.”
The march for peace and the prayer meeting was attended by friends of Srinivas. Alok Madasani, another Indian who was wounded in the shooting on Wednesday, was on his crutches.
The sisters of the third man, an American identified as Ian Grillot, injured that night when he intervened during the argument with the shooter US Navy veteran Adam Purinton, Lt Governor Jeff Colyer, US Congressman Kevin Yoder, Olathe Mayor Mike Copeland, Olathe Police Chief Steven Menke, and other state officials also joined the march and the prayer meeting.
The prayer was conducted by priests at the Hindu Temple and Cultural Centre, Kansas City.
Alok remembered his nine years of friendship with Srinivas. “Srini was the kindest person you would meet, full of love, care and compassion for everyone. He never uttered a word of hatred, a simple gossip, or a careless comment.” Other friends who spoke there had similar words for Srinivas. They described him as a positive, warm, kind, caring, brilliant, well-mannered and an absolutely outstanding human being.