US: Indian student who went missing in March, found dead in Ohio

An Indian student has been found dead in the US state of Ohio after he went missing since March. 

The news was confirmed was by the Consulate General of India in New York.

The Consulate said it is “anguished” to learn about the death of Mohammed Abdul Arfath and further said that it is in touch with local authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into his death. 

"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, the Consulate General of India in New York said in a post on X. 

The Consulate further said that all possible assistance has been extended to the bereaved family to transport his mortal remains to India. 

A native of Hyderabad, Arafat, who went to the US for his Master’s degree in IT from Cleveland University in May 2023 but was missing since March 7 this year. 

His father received a phone call from an unidentified person after ten days, who claimed Arafat had been kidnapped and demanded for a USD 1200 ransom for his release.