The lifeless body of a 25-year-old Indian student, who had been reported missing since the previous month, was discovered in Cleveland, Ohio, the United States. This unfortunate incident marks the second death within a week, adding to a series of tragic events that have deeply affected the community.
Mohammad Abdul Arfath, a resident of Nacharam, Hyderabad, came to the United States in May last year to pursue a Master’s degree in IT at Cleveland University. After being absent for almost three weeks, the consulate had previously reported that they were in communication with Abdul’s family and collaborating with local law enforcement to find him. Today, the embassy announced that he was discovered deceased.
The individual, aged 25, disappeared approximately on March 7. The father reported a lack of communication with Arfath since that date, noting that his phone had been turned off. Subsequently, on March 19, Arfath’s relatives were contacted by an individual demanding a ransom, claiming that he had been abducted by a drug trafficking gang. The ransom amount requested was $1,200 for his safe return. Additionally, the caller issued a threat to sell the student’s organs if the ransom was not paid.
On 21 March, the Indian consulate had announced its efforts in collaborating with the local law enforcement authorities to locate Arfath. Additionally, the family of the student had sent a letter to the External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, appealing for his assistance in locating and repatriating Arfath back to India.
