'When it's time for virtue signaling...': Indian-American politicians slammed for silence over Chandra Nagamalliah's beheading in Dallas

A major political row started as Indian-American politicians were named and shamed on social media for not condemning the horrific incident that took place in Dallas where an Indian-origin man, Chandra Nagamalliah, was beheaded by his employee Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, an illegal Cuban immigrant. Martinez was asked not to use a particular broken washing machine but he was not directly asked. Another employee was asked to translate for him.

Cobos-Martinez chased Nagamalliah with a machete and then decapitated him, and kicked the head. He was arrested. The killer has a criminal record and Cuba already told the US that they would not accept him. But he continued to remain in the US and was employed by Nagamallaiah.


According to the affidavit, Cobos-Martinez admitted to the killing in an interview with authorities. The affidavit cited a video and said it captured Cobos-Martinez leaving the motel room, producing a machete and repeatedly cutting and stabbing Nagamallaiah.

Screaming, Nagamallaiah fled to the motel's front office, but Cobos-Martinez followed and continued to cut him, according to the affidavit. At one point, the victim's wife and son tried to stop Cobos-Martinez, but he pushed them away and continued assaulting Nagamallaiah, it said.



Cobos-Martinez removed a key card and a cellphone from Nagamallaiah's pockets and continued cutting the victim "until his head was removed from his body". He kicked Nagamallaiah’s head into the parking lot, then picked it up and put it in a dumpster, the affidavit said.

Social media users questioned why the Indian-American politicians from both parties, including Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, Shri Thanedar, Vivek Ramaswamy, did not condemn the incident. "When it’s time for virtue signaling, they’re loud. When it’s time to stand up, they go silent," one wrote.

"No outrage here, unlike Iryna Zarutska or Charlie Kirk, because the victim, Chandra Nagamalliah, was a Brown man of Indian origin and not of the favoured skin colour; otherwise, the USA would be jumping up and down," another wrote.

The Consulate General of India, Houston, condoled the death of Nagamallaiah. "We are in touch with the family and offering all possible assistance. The accused is in the custody of Dallas Police. We are following up on the matter closely," it said.