The news that the recent killing of an Indian origin lady and her child in America is not a hate crime should be viewed with relief. Sasikala Narra and her son Anish were found stabbed to death in their New Jersey home by police recently and after the initial investigation, the authorities have ruled out hate crime as a motive.
Considering that this is the second Indian to be killed in less than a month in a country now charged with an anti-immigrant sentiment after President Donald Trump took office in January, it would be easy to link both and raise the alarm. In February this year, the killing of Kansas resident Srinivas Kuchibotla in February, by a US army veteran, caused many Indian communities and organisations in America some discomfort.
There is a possibility that the ‘hate crime’ motive was ruled out quickly to diffuse the situation, but even the victims’ family has agreed, pointing fingers at the husband instead. They claim that his extra-marital affair is the reason for him to kill his wife and son. That angle has yet to be investigated. Hopefully, the US authorities treat this crime as an important one, and the killer will be soon brought to justice.
