Wife Of Kansas Shooting Victim Was Afraid Of Hate Crimes After The Election

Sunayana Dumala says she spent nights lying awake after Donald Trump was elected president in November. She worried about the increasingly hostile climate toward foreigners people like her and her husband, who came to the U.S. from India.

Dumalas husband, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was fatally shot on Wednesday in a bar in Olathe, Kansas. Witnesses say a man yelled racial slurs and told the victim and his friend to get out of my country .

Dumala, who has since returned to India to be with her husbands family, told the BBC on Saturday that she was fearful in the face of what she considered to be a growing hatred and intolerance toward foreigners.

I was like, Srini, will we be safe in this country? Im so worried. I think hate crimes will be more open now. Will it be safe for us to go to the mall? For us to go to [the] office? she said.

Dumala said her husband hugged her and told her not to worry.

Weve read many times in newspapers of some kind of shooting happening everywhere. And we always wondered, how safe are we? Are we doing the right thing?
- Sunayana Dumala

Kuchibhotla, a 32-year-old aviation engineer for Garmin, loved America, Dumala said. She described her husband as optimistic, loving and encouraging. He was driven to succeed in his field, and they were planning to start a family after buying what she called their dream home in Olathe.

Kuchibhotla had recently finished painting their living room, she said.

My husband came to the United States with a lot of dreams in his mind. We made the United States our home, Dumala said Friday at a gathering at Garmins U.S. headquarters in Olathe. Weve read many times in newspapers of some kind of shooting happening everywhere. And we always wondered, how safe are we? Are we doing the right thing?

He always assured me that only good things happen to good people, she added. Always think good. Always be good. And good will happen to you.

","type":"newAolon","meta":{"aolOnCid":"55143cb409eab105804dc08a","aolOnVid":"58b1b2df4d96932fb5504ca1","placeHolderThumbnail":"//img.vidible.tv/prod/2017-02/25/58b1b2df4d96932fb5504ca1/58b1b2e72fc187542f34ea7e_o_F_v1.jpg?w=1440&h=900"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"58b30ae1e4b0a8a9b78312b8","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/sunayana-dumala-hate-crimes-kansas_n_58b30ae1e4b0a8a9b78312b8","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,us-news,united-states,india,hate-crimes,olathe-kansas,garmin,@ads_scary,@genassign,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":6},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"58b30ae1e4b0a8a9b78312b8","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump"},"relegenceId":2789214,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/us-news","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/us-news","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/us-news"},"relegenceSubjectId":981465,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"United States","slug":"united-states","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/united-states"},{"name":"united states","slug":"united-states","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/united-states","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/united-states","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/united-states"},"relegenceId":3804968,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"United States","slug":"united-states","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/united-states"},{"name":"India","slug":"india","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/india","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/india","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/india"},"relegenceId":3686704,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"India","slug":"india","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/india"},{"name":"hate crimes","slug":"hate-crimes","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/hate-crimes","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/hate-crimes","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/hate-crimes"},"relegenceSubjectId":980127,"department":{"name":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"section":{"title":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"topic":{"title":"Social Justice","slug":"social-justice","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/impact/topic/social-justice"},{"name":"Olathe, Kansas","slug":"olathe-kansas","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/olathe-kansas","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/olathe-kansas","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/olathe-kansas"},"relegenceId":3493611,"url":"https://action.news/topic/olathe-kansas"},{"name":"Garmin","slug":"garmin","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/garmin","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/garmin","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/garmin"},"relegenceId":3539637,"url":"https://action.news/topic/garmin"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{},"defer":true,"addPlaceholder":false}">

The night he was killed, Kuchibhotla was enjoying after-work drinks with his friend and co-worker, 32-year-old Alok Madasani, at Austins Bar and Grill.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

Adam W. Purinton , 51, yelled racial slurs at the two Indian men and asked if they were in the country illegally, according to witnesses. Purinton was asked to leave, but later returned with a gun. He allegedly shot both men and Ian Grillot, a 24-year-old bar patron who tried to intervene.

Purinton was later charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of premeditated attempted murder. The FBI is investigating whether the incident was a hate crime.

Trump hasnt addressed the shooting. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Friday that any loss of life is tragic, but that it was absurd to connect Trumps stance on immigration to Kuchibhotlas death.