The family of a 25-year-old student from Hyderabad, who was found dead in the US city of Cleveland, has urged the Centre to make necessary arrangements to bring his body back home.
Mohammad Abdul Arfath, hailing from Nacharam in the southern metropolis, had gone to the US in May last year to pursue a Masters degree in IT from Cleveland University. The victim had not been in touch with his family here since March 7 following which a missing person complaint was lodged.
Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended on Arfath’s residence after the news of his death spread with relatives and friends turning up in large numbers.
Arfath’s father Mohammed Saleem said the family received information (about Arfath’s death) in the small hours of Tuesday and they were told that his body was found in a lake.
“Early this morning we got information about my son’s death. We don’t have any other information (about the death). We have been told that efforts are on to send his body. I request the central government to bring back my son’s body to India,” Saleem said.
Arfath’s relatives, who stay in Virginia, have reached Cleveland. In a post on X, the Consulate General of India in New York said, “Anguished to learn that Mr Mohammed Abdul Arfath, for whom search operation was underway, was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio.” “Offering “deepest condolences” to 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,” it added. Saleem had earlier said that Arfath, who is his only son, 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.
Arfath’s roommates in the US had informed his father that a missing person complaint was lodged 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.
The caller also threatened to sell Arfath’s kidneys if the ransom wasn’t paid, his father said. It’s the second death of an Indian student within a week in Cleveland even as the community grapples with a string of such tragedies across the US.
The police retrieved Arfath’s body from Lake Erie near Voinovich Park in Cleveland. The cause of death was yet to be confirmed. According to Arfath’s relatives in the US, a week after he went missing, a jogger had alerted police on March 13 about a bag with a laptop and identity card at Voinovich Park.
The same jogger provided some clues on March 21 to Cleveland police, who began a search operation. On April 8 (US time 3.40pm), police found the body from the lake, about 5 km from the place where the bag had been found.
Saleem said, “My son had no problems. He was normal when he spoke to us on March 7. He spoke for less than a minute. He said his phone was running out of battery and that he would call back in 10 minutes.”
“After we gave a complaint to the police, they checked the CCTV footage at the shopping mall. My son was walking out with his bicycle. He was as normal as one would expect,” Saleem said.
Arfath had arrived in the United States in May last year and joined Cleveland State University for his MS in IT.
He had quit midway in January this year, and had joined another university in New York. However, he continued to live in Cleveland despite the long distance to New York.
He was living in a shared accommodation outside the campus with three other students.
After Arfath went missing, social worker and MBT leader Amjed Ullah Khan had also written to Union ministry of external affairs (MEA) and CGI, New York, to help trace him.
The Telangana govt had also written to MEA. Arfath’s father has now urged the MEA and Telangana govt to help bring back his body to India.
Recently, the Indian Consulate had reported the death of Uma Satya Sai Gadde in Cleveland, Ohio.
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