The missing student has not been in touch with the family since March 7.
Hyderabad Student Missing In USA: Yet another Indian student has gone missing in the United States and this time his family has been involved too as they have received a ransom call allegedly from those who are behind his disappearance.
The missing student, identified as 25-year-old Mohammed Abdul Arfath, was pursuing a master’s degree in information technology at Cleveland University, Ohio and he has not been in touch with the family since March 7.
His parents, who are residing in Malkajgiri district near Hyderabad have received a call demanding a ransom of $12,000. The unidentified caller informed them their son had been kidnapped and threatened to sell his kidney.
Mohammed Abdul Arfath left for the USA in May 2023 and his family claims he has not spoken to them since March 7.
His father, Mohammed Saleem, last week, received a phone call from an unknown person claiming that his son had been kidnapped by a gang selling drugs in Cleveland. The caller demanded the ransom but did not mention the mode of payment.
A worried Saleem immediately got in touch with his relatives in the USA, who filed a missing complaint with the Cleveland police, which issued a watch order. According to the order, Arfath was wearing a white T-shirt, a red jacket, and blue jeans.
Arfath’s family has also written to the Indian Consulate in Chicago on March 18 to help trace Abdul. Saleem has also appealed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for help in locating his son.
(With IANS inputs)