Missing For A Month In US, Indian Student Md. Abdul Arfath Found Dead

Mohammed Abdul Arfath, a 25-year-old student from India, was found dead in Cleveland, over a month after he was reported missing. The Cleveland State University student had gone missing since March 7. On March 19, the case took a further distressing turn when his parents in India received a ransom call from an unidentified person. The caller claimed that Arfath had been kidnapped by a gang involved in drug trafficking and demanded a ransom of USD 1,200 for his release. On April 9, the Indian Consulate in New York released a statement on X (Twitter), sharing the news of Arfath's demise.

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. @IndiainNewYork is in touch with local agencies to ensure thorough investigation into Mr… https://t.co/FRRrR8ZXZ8

— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) April 9, 2024

Mohammed Abdul Arfath moved to the US from Hyderabad, Telangana, in May 2023 to pursue a Master's degree from Cleveland State University. According to his family, his last communication was on March 7, after which his phone remained switched off. His roommates in Cleveland have reported his disappearance to the local authorities, lodging a missing person's complaint.

What The Ransom Call Means

On March 19, Arfath's parents in Hyderabad received a ransom call demanding USD 1,200 for his release. Mohammed Saleem, Arfath's father, recounted the harrowing experience while speaking to Press Trust of India, "The caller did not mention the mode of payment but just asked to pay the amount. When I asked the caller to allow us to talk to my son, he refused."

The caller also threatened to sell Arfath's kidneys if the payment was not made promptly. Expressing deep concern over their son's safety, his parents urged the Central government to intervene and take necessary measures to locate and ensure the safe return of their missing son. Saleem has also penned a letter to the External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar seeking help.

The news of Arfath's death has sent shockwaves through the community in Hyderabad. In another strikingly similar recent case, Indian immigrant student Uma Satya Sai Gadde, was found dead on April 5 in Cleveland, Ohio. Over eleven cases of Indian immigrants being killed or attacked in the United States have been unearthed since the beginning of 2024.