Mohammad Abdul Arfath, who had been missing since last month, was found dead in the US city of Cleveland. This is the second death within a week as the community grapples with a string of such tragedies.
A 25-year-old from Nacharam, Hyderabad, arrived in the US in May 2023 to pursue a Master's in IT from Cleveland University.
"Anguished to learn that Mohammed Abdul Arfath, for whom search operation was underway, was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio. Our deepest condolences to Mr Mohammed Arfath’s family. India in New York is in touch with local agencies to ensure a thorough investigation into Mr Mohammed Abdul Arfath’s death. We are extending all possible assistance to the bereaved family to transport his mortal remains to India,” the Consulate General of India in New York said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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In April, the Indian consulate in US had said that it was working with the local authorities to locate Arfath. Mohammed Saleem, the father of Arfath, said that his son last spoke to him on March 7, 2024, since then he has not been in touch with his family. His mobile phone is switched off as well.
Roommates who stayed with Arfath in US said his father that they lodged a missing persons complaint with Cleveland Police. However, on March 19, Arfath’s family received a call from an unidentified person, who claimed that Arfath had been kidnapped allegedly by a gang selling drugs and demanded USD 1,200 to “release” him.
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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,” Saleem told PTI in Hyderabad.
Arfath’s parents have requested the Central government to take necessary measures to locate and bring back their son safely. Saleem has also written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.