Body of Hyderabad student found dead in US brought home

Hyderabad, April 16 (IANS) The body of Mohammed Abdul Arfath, a 25-year-old student, who was found dead in a lake in Cleveland, US last week after being missing since March 7, has been brought to his residence in Nacharam near Hyderabad late on Monday night.

Abdul Arfath, who was pursuing master's degree in Information Technology at Cleveland University, Ohio, has not been in touch with the family since March 7 and his family here had received a ransom call.

The Consulate General of India in New York had announced on April 9 that the student was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio.

AIMIM MLC Mirza Rahmat Baig completed the paperwork and received the body at the Airport. The body was later shifted to Arfath’s residence in Medchal Malkajgiri district near Hyderabad. The last rites will be performed on Tuesday.

AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi had earlier spoken to Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and also wrote a letter to the Consulate General of India in New York for necessary assistance in finding Abdul Arfath.

Arfath went to the US in May 2023 to pursue a Masters in IT from Cleveland University. His family claims he has not spoken to them since March 7.

Arfath’s father Mohammed Saleem had received a call on March 17 from an unidentified person, who claimed that Arfath had been kidnapped allegedly by a gang selling drugs and demanded USD 1,200 to release him.

The caller threatened to sell Arfath’s kidneys if the ransom wasn’t paid. Saleem had informed his relatives in the US, who filed a missing complaint with the Cleveland police. The police had issued a watch order.

The family wrote to the Indian Consulate in Chicago on March 18 to help trace Arfath.

Arfath had reportedly left his home at Reserve Square on March 5 and had not returned.

The student’s body was found in a lake in Cleveland in a decomposed state on April 8. The body was recovered after police launched an investigation into a bag containing a laptop and ID cards found by a jogger.

Cleveland police are investigating the cause of the death.