Kidnapped 25-year-old Indian student from Telangana found dead in Cleveland, US
The Consulate General of India in New York confirmed the death of Mohammed Abdul Arfath, a 25-year-old student from Telangana, India, who was reportedly kidnapped near his home in Cleveland, Ohio, United States on March 5. Efforts are underway for a thorough investigation into his death.
FollowThe Consulate General of India in New York has confirmed the death of Mohammed Abdul Arfath, a 25-year-old student from Telangana, India, who had been reportedly kidnapped from near his home in Cleveland, Ohio, United States on March 5.Â
Efforts are underway to collaborate with local authorities for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Cleveland authorities had been urging residents to be on the lookout for Abdul, a 25-year-old Information Technology Master's degree student at Cleveland University, Ohio, who had been missing for nearly a month. He disappeared on March 5 from his home in Reserve Square. Described as an Asian man, 5-foot-8, and weighing 150 pounds, Abdul was last seen at 1700 East 13th Street in Cleveland, wearing a white T-shirt, red jacket, and blue jeans. Concern heightened when Abdul's family received a ransom call demanding $1,200, allegedly from unidentified individuals claiming he had been kidnapped by drug sellers in Cleveland. The caller even threatened Abdul's father to sell his kidney if the ransom was not paid.
Abdul's disappearance is part of a concerning trend of violence against Indian students in the United States. In 2024, nine students were killed, including Neel Acharya, a 19-year-old found dead on Purdue University's West Lafayette campus. Vivek Saini, a 25-year-old Indian student, was fatally assaulted in Georgia, and Syed Mazahir Ali faced a brutal attack in Chicago.
In response to these incidents, the Biden administration reassured the Indian community of their commitment to enhancing safety for the diaspora in the United States, with US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, affirming their priority to ensure a secure environment for international students.
