Mallikarjun Kharge wants centre to talk to US over crimes against Indians

32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".

By PTI

Updated: Sunday, March 5, 2017, 17:23 [IST]

Kalburgi, March 5: The Centre should immediately talk to US President Donald Trump to stop growing number of alleged hate crime incidents against the Indian community in that country, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said on Sunday.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah with senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Digvijay Singh and G Parameshwara at the State Congress Coordination Committee meeting in Bengaluru. Image courtesy: PTI

"Central government should immediately speak to American President and take steps to stop such things, or else this may lead to international crisis in the days to come," he told reporters here, when asked about the attack on 39-year-old Sikh-American Deep Rai, who was shot outside his home in Kent, Washington, and recovering in a private hospital.

This has come close on the heels of the hate crime shooting in Kansas last month in which 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani, yelling "get out of my country".

Earlier this week, Indian-origin convenience store owner Harnish Patel, 43, of Lancaster in South Carolina was found dead of gun shot wounds in his yard. However, police said in Patel's killing his Indian ethnicity did not appear to be a factor.

PTI