A tech entrepreneur from India reportedly shot and killed his wife and one of their sons at their residence in the United States last week, according to police reports. Following this tragic event, the individual is said to have taken his own life. The incident occurred in Newcastle, Washington, and another son of the couple survived as he was not present during the occurrence. The deceased have been identified as Harshavardhana S Kikkeri (57), his spouse Shwetha Panyam (44), and their 14-year-old son. News outlets on the scene reported witnessing a child being led away from the residence and being consoled by investigators. The King County Sheriff’s Office has yet to disclose the identities of the surviving children. Authorities have stated that the motive behind this extreme act remains unclear. An investigation is currently in progress. Various media sources, citing neighbors, characterized the family as amicable yet reserved. Harshvardhan S Kikkeri, originally from KR Pet Taluk in Mandya district, was the founder and CEO of HoloWorld, a robotics firm based in Mysuru, where his wife also served as co-founder. In 2017, he and Shwetha returned to India to establish HoloWorld. At the peak of his career, the entrepreneur had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to advocate for the use of robots in border security. Additionally, he was recognized as an expert in robotics and had previously worked for Microsoft in the United States.
