Ohio: In a distressing development that has cast a shadow over the Indian student community in the United States, Mohammad Abdul Arafat, a 25-year-old student from Hyderabad, was found deceased in Ohio. Arafat had embarked on a journey to the US in 2023 with aspirations of pursuing a master’s degree at Cleveland State University. The discovery of his body, after a harrowing three-week disappearance, was confirmed by the Indian Embassy in New York via a social media announcement.
The embassy expressed its “deepest condolences to the family of Mohammad Arafat” and assured ongoing collaboration with local authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Arafat’s untimely demise. Officials are also committed to providing support to Arafat’s family in repatriating his remains back to India.
A Father’s Nightmare: Ransom and Threats
The case took a sinister turn when Arafat’s father, Mohammad Salim, revealed that he had lost contact with his son since March 7. Arafat’s roommate had filed a missing person’s report with the Cleveland Police, but the situation escalated when the family received a chilling ransom demand from an unidentified caller. The abductor claimed Arafat had been taken by a drug gang and demanded $1,200 for his release, even threatening to harvest Arafat’s organs if the payment was not made.
A Pattern of Tragedy Among Indian Students in the US
Arafat’s death marks the eighth such incident this year involving Indian or Indian-origin students in the US, sparking widespread concern among families and the broader Indian American community. The series of tragedies include the murder of Vivek Saini in Georgia, the mysterious death of Shreyas Reddy Benigar in Ohio, and several other students who met untimely ends under various tragic circumstances.
This alarming trend underscores the vulnerabilities faced by Indian students abroad and has prompted calls for increased safety measures and support systems to protect the well-being of these young individuals as they pursue their educational and professional dreams. The Indian embassy’s involvement in Arafat’s case reflects the gravity of the situation and the need for a concerted effort to ensure the safety of Indian students overseas.
