Hyderabad: The mortal remains of Indian student Mohammed Abdul Arfath, who was found dead in the United States' Cleveland, earlier this month was brought to his residence in Hyderabad on Tuesday. Arfath was reportedly missing since March 7 and went to the United States in 2023 for a Master's degree at Cleveland State University.
Earlier in April, Arfath's father urged the government to bring his son's body back to India after his death. Following Arfath's death, the Consulate General of India in New York said it is "anguished" to learn about the death of Mohammed Abdul Arfath and is in touch with local authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into his death.
"Anguished to learn that Mohammed Abdul Arfath, for whom search operation was underway, was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio. Our deepest condolences to Mohammed Arfath's family," the Consulate General of India in New York said in a post on X. It said that all possible assistance is being extended to the bereaved family to transport his mortal remains to India.
25-year-old Mohd Arfath went to the US in May 2023 but had been missing since March 7 this year. His father, Mohd Saleem, said that after ten days, they received a phone call from an unidentified person who claimed Arafat had been kidnapped and demanded a USD 1200 ransom for his release.
Recently, the Indian community has seen a rise in such tragedies. Earlier in April, Uma Satya Sai Gadde, an Indian student in Cleveland, Ohio, died and a police investigation is underway. Earlier this February, an Indian student faced a brutal attack in Chicago. Following the attack, the Indian Consulate in Chicago stated that it was in touch with the victim, Syed Mazahir Ali, as well as his wife in India.
