Ohio: A 25-year-old student from Hyderabad who went missing three weeks ago has been found dead as per the Indian consulate in New York. The consulate had previously stated that they were in contact with Abdul’s family and were collaborating with local law enforcement agencies to locate Mohammed Abdul Arfath, who had been missing for about three weeks.
The consulate in a post on X said “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”.
Anguished to learn that Mr. Mohammed Abdul Arfath, for whom search operation was underway, was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio.
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) April 9, 2024
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
“@IndiainNewYork 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,” it added.
@IndiainNewYork is in touch with the Mr. Mohammad Abdul Arfath’s family and authorities in the US.
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) March 20, 2024
We are working with local law enforcement agencies to find him at the earliest. @DrSJaishankar@MEAIndia @IndianEmbassyUS https://t.co/zbEzJSRFNN
Arfath’s father Mohammed Saleem said that he spoke with his son last on March 7 and after that, his phone was switched off. On March 19, Arfath’s father received a call from an unidentified person, who told him that his son had been kidnapped by a gang selling drugs and demanded $1,200.
Mr Saleem while speaking to a news agency said that he got a call from an unknown number and told him that his son had been kidnapped and demanded money. He added that the caller did not mention any mode of payment. He said that he asked the caller to let him talk to his son but was refused. Abdul is the eleventh Indian to die this year. Eight of them were students.
Indian students studying in the US and their families back home are startled and concerned about the two consecutive fatalities. Of the eight students who passed away, Vivek Saini, 25, was killed by a homeless drug user, and Venkataramana Pittala, 27, perished in a boat accident. It is still unknown what caused the deaths of several kids.
For Indian students wishing to pursue higher education, the US is a popular choice. In the 2022–2023 academic year, about 2.6 lakh Indian students are said to have immigrated to the US. This was a 35% increase over the prior session.