Mohammed Abdul Arfath, an age 25-year-old student in the US was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio
Mohammed Abdul Arfath’s family couldn’t reach him since March 7th, and the Indian consulate in New York confirmed his passing. Just after an Indian student passed away in the United States, another one was reported dead in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Indian consulate in New York expressed sadness over the death of Indian student Mohammed Abdul Arfath on Tuesday. Arfath went missing last month in the US, and efforts were underway to locate him. This marks the 11th incident this year involving attacks on or deaths of Indian or Indian-origin students.
Who is Indian Student Mohammed Abdul Arfath found dead in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, biography, age and parents
Anguished to learn that Mr. Mohammed Abdul Arfath, for whom search operation was underway, was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio.
Our deepest condolences to Mr Mohammed Arfath’s family. @IndiainNewYork is in touch with local agencies to ensure thorough investigation into Mr… https://t.co/FRRrR8ZXZ8
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) April 9, 2024
Mohammed Abdul Arfath went to the US last May to study information technology at Cleveland University.
Originally from Nacharam, Hyderabad, the 25-year-old was reported missing when his family couldn’t contact him after March 7th of this year. The family of the student revealed that they got a call on March 19th from someone they didn’t know, claiming Arfath was kidnapped by a gang selling drugs.
The caller asked for $1,200 (around Rs 99,889) to let Arfath go and threatened to sell his kidney if they didn’t pay. However, they didn’t explain how to make the payment. Arfath’s father, Mohammed Saleem mentioned that he last talked to his son on March 7th, after which Arfath’s phone was turned off.
Missing Hyderabad student found dead in US!
Mohammed Abdul Arafat's who was missing for over a month has been found dead
Arfath's father said he had lost contact with his son since March 7 & his phone was switched off since. His family claims they received a ransom… pic.twitter.com/X2vtmlT8oV
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) April 9, 2024
Saleem mentioned that Arfath was last seen at a Walmart store, according to CCTV footage from March 8th. Saleem, who works in construction, explained that Arfath expressed missing his family and friends and wanting to come home during their last conversation. He also mentioned that a detective is handling the case.
Help from the authorities
Arfath’s father wrote a letter to the External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, asking for help to find his son. On March 21st, the Indian consulate in New York stated that they were communicating with Arfath’s family in Telangana and US authorities.
They assured that they were collaborating with local law enforcement to locate him as soon as possible.
Another student Uma Satya Sai Gadde died in Cleveland on Saturday, April 5th. The Indian consulate in New York mentioned that the police are looking into his death. The US is a popular choice for Indian students seeking higher education but these tragic events have caused worry among the ones planning to move to the United States.