A 25-year-old Indian student, who had been missing since last month, was found dead in the U.S. city of Cleveland, the second death within a week as the community grapples with a string of such tragedies.
Mohammad Abdul Arfath, hailing from Nacharam, Hyderabad, arrived in the U.S. in May 2023 to pursue a Masters in IT from Cleveland University. “Anguished to learn that Mr. Mohammed Abdul Arfath, for whom search operation was underway, was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio,” the Consulate General of India in New York said in a post on X.
Offering “deepest condolences” to Mr. Arfath’s family, the Consulate said it is in touch with local agencies to ensure a thorough investigation into his death. “We are extending all possible assistance to the bereaved family to transport his mortal remains to India,” the Consulate added.
Last month, the Consulate said that it was working with local law enforcement authorities to locate the Indian student.
Mr. Arfath’s father Mohammed Saleem had said that Mr. Arfath last spoke to him on March 7, and since then he has not been in touch with his family. His mobile phone is switched off as well. “We are working with local law enforcement agencies to find him at the earliest,” the Consulate had said.
Mr. Arfath’s roommates in the U.S. had informed his father that they lodged a missing persons complaint with Cleveland Police. However, on March 19, his family received a call from an unidentified person, who claimed that Arfath had been kidnapped allegedly by a gang selling drugs and demanded $1,200 to "release" him. The caller also threatened to sell Arfath’s kidneys if the ransom wasn't paid, his father said.
"I got a call from an unknown number, and the caller informed me that my son had been kidnapped and demanded money. The caller did not mention the mode of payment but just asked to pay the amount. When I asked the caller to allow us to talk to my son, he refused," Mr. Saleem told PTI in Hyderabad.
Mr. Arfath’s parents have requested the Centre to locate and bring back their son safely. Mr. Saleem has also written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The incident is the latest in a string of troubling cases about the safety and security of Indian students in the U.S. Last week, another Indian student in Ohio, Uma Satya Sai Gadde, died and police are investigating the case.
