CLEVELAND, Ohio (Diya TV) — The Indian embassy in New York confirmed Mohammad Abdul Arfath, a 25-year-old student from Hyderabad who had enrolled for a Masters program at Cleveland State University in 2023, was found dead in Ohio.
Abdul had been missing for almost three weeks.
The Indian embassy had previously said they were coordinating the search efforts with Abdul’s family and local authorities. Today, they announced his passing.
In a statement, the embassy expressed their sorrow: “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.”
Arfath’s death adds to a concerning pattern involving Indian or Indian-origin students in the United States. He is the 11th Indian to have died in the US in 2024, with eight of them being students.
Just days before Arfath’s discovery, the Indian Consulate reported the passing of Uma Satya Sai Gadde in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 5. Prior to that, on March 18, Abhijeeth Paruchuru, an Indian student in Boston, also tragically passed away.
Among the eight students who have passed away, Vivek Saini, 25, was fatally attacked by a homeless drug addict, while Venkataramana Pittala, 27, lost his life in a watercraft accident. The causes of death for several other students are still under investigation.
Arfath’s family had received distressing calls demanding ransom of $100,000 for their son’s safe return. Despite the threats, the exact circumstances leading to his death are still under investigation.
Arfath’s father, Mohammed Saleem, is understandably traumatized. “He is my only son. He said he was missing us and his friends and wanted to come home. I told him that he could do so during his vacations, and if needed, I would send him the airfare.”
