DEHRADUN/MEERUT: The death of an Indian engineer and the wounding of another man in a hate crime at a Kansas bar shooting has raised fears among parents and relatives of Indians working in US about their safety.Many of the parents TOI spoke with lamented that America has fallen further into a state of insanity and they feel concerned about the safety of their children.“We are terrified even though this is not the first time that an Indian has been attacked based on the colour of his skin. What is worrisome is that the new government there has not come out with a vehement criticism of the incident,” said Vivek Sharma whose son is a computer engineer in Wisconsin.Sunita Beniwal, whose daughter is a student at Savannah College of Art and Design, Georgia, told TOI, “How can the US President guarantee the safety of our children when he deems them outsiders?" Beniwal, who runs a primary school in Jaipur, added, “My daughter is quite worried about job security and personal safety.”Calling it an act of “fanaticism”, Sharma who hails from Dehradun, said, “An average American appears to make no differentiation between an Indian, Asian, Middle-Eastern or any other race except the ‘white people’. They judge people based on the colour of their skin, which is a serious issue. Apparently de-globalisation is the new trend and I am appalled at how things are spiraling out of control in America. As parents, we can only pray and hope that our children remain safe there. Our government also needs to not only monitor the scenario but ensure that Indians abroad are not harmed. Such rampant killings cannot be justified.”Echoing the sentiment, another Doon resident, Dr G K Gupta, whose son has been working in a leading IT company in Washington DC for 15 years, said, “We are trying not to panic but the situation there is quite grim and safety of my son is always there on my mind.”Neeta Jaiswal, a 60-year-old teacher in Meerut, said she feels concerned about the safety of her daughter, a researcher with a prominent university who works and commutes during late hours in US. “My daughter is a single mother with a four-year old child. I am really worried about her safety,” she said.Sanjeev Kumar, a resident of Damoh (MP) whose son is studying in a university in North Carolina, said he is keeping a close watch on the developments there. “My son has been there for six months. But I call him every day and instruct him not to venture out into unknown areas, particularly when unaccompanied. I hope things will get better.”Harbans Lal Ahuja in Udham Singh Nagar, whose son lives in New Jersey, said, “My son tells me that random checks on green cards and visas have become almost a daily routine. I hope things will improve soon in US.” Amit Sharma of Ranikhet, whose brother is working in Chicago, said, “Since the talk of stringent visa measures began, Indians in US are apprehensive of losing their jobs. The latest hate crime incident will only make them more nervous.”The suspected gunman, US Navy veteran Adam Purinton, 51, has been charged with the premeditated murder in Olathe, just outside Kansas City, of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, and the attempted murder of Alok Madasani, also 32, as well as an American who tried to intervene. Before opening fire, Purinton is accused of shouting "get out of my country."(With inputs from Sandeep Rai in Meerut and Vineet Upadhyay in Nainital)

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