An Indian IT professional and her seven-year-old son in the US were found murdered with their throats slit, prompting police to launch a criminal investigation into the brutal killing.
Sasikala, 40, and her son Anish Sai were found dead in their home in Burlington, New Jersey when her husband Narra Hanumanth Rao returned from work on Thursday.
Indian-American community leader and president of the non-profit Indian American Friendship Council (IAFC) Prasad Thotakura told PTI that according to the information he had, Rao allegedly found his wife and child “in a pool of blood” and “with their throats slit”.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said the Government was still awaiting details of the unfortunate incident. “We are in touch with the US authorities who are trying to ascertain the details in the matter,” he said.
The incident comes at a time when there has been a surge of hate crimes against Indians in the US. This murder was discussed by the members of both Houses of Parliament as the MPs felt that this was now becoming a trend in the US and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take
up the issue with US President Donald Trump.
However, Sasikala’s parents, who live on the outskirts of Vijayawada, said they suspect the involvement of their son-in-law in the killings.
Venkateshwarlu and Krishna Kumari alleged that he was not treating their daughter well for last two years and he was also carrying on an extramarital affair.
Sasikala's parents said she had told them over phone several times that he is not looking after her well and was continuing the affair with another woman.
They said Hanumantha Rao telephoned them Friday just to say that his wife and son have died and did not say anything more.
According to information available so far, Sasikala had picked up her son from school in the afternoon and returned home.
Thotakura said police are looking into the motive behind the murder, including the possibilities of any foul play. He added no details are yet available to ascertain if the case involved any domestic dispute.
He said the Telugu Association of North America is helping the family to send the bodies back to India. The couple worked in the IT fields and had been living in the US for the last 12 years. Sasikala used to work from home. This is the latest in a series of incidents involving Indian techies.
Telangana’s aeronautical engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed when Adam W. Purinton, who earlier served in the US Navy, shot him in Olathe, Kansas, on February 23.
Vamshi Reddy Mamidala, also from Telangana, was shot dead in Milpitas, California, on February 10 in a garage in his apartment building.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, T Subbarami Reddy of the Congress said this was a serious matter. “This is very dangerous. Just two weeks back, two Indians were killed and now two more people have been killed. PM Narendra Modi must take (it) up with the President of America,” Reddy said.
Even Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien expressed shock over the incident and said the matter should be taken up at the highest level. He also asked Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to convey the incident to the External Affairs Minister.
In the lok Sabha, YV Subba Reddy (YSR Congress Party) raised the issue and asked the Government to take a “strong stand” in protecting Indians in the US. “It is a case of racial discrimination” and such incidents were on the rise since Donald Trump became the US President. It is high time we take up these issues strongly with the US,” he added.