Indian family grieves son’s death in US after kidnap call
Mohammed Abdul Arfath had been missing for several days before his body was discovered in Ohio, US
Indian family is grieving the loss of their son
An Indian family is grieving the loss of their son, Mohammed Abdul Arfath, a 25-year-old engineering student who was found dead in Ohio, USA. Arfath had been missing for several days before his body was discovered.
The news came as a huge shock to Arfath’s father, Mohammed Saleem. The family had been desperately hoping to find him alive. Now, on top of their grief, they are also worried about repaying the hefty education loan of ₹43 lakh (around $53,000) they had taken out to fund Arfath’s studies in the US.
Saleem described Arfath’s excitement about going to America. He had secured admission to Cleveland University to pursue a Master’s degree in Information Technology and even received a loan to cover the costs. Saleem provided his son with additional financial support of ₹10 lakh (around $12,500) to ease his worries.
“He was a good boy, never caused any trouble,” Saleem said. “We were shocked to hear he’d been kidnapped and that there was a ransom call from a gang involved in drugs.”
The family had no idea how Arfath might have gotten into such a situation. They were piecing together the events based on news reports.
Everything started on March 17th when Saleem received a chilling phone call from someone claiming to have kidnapped Arfath. The caller demanded a ransom of $1,200 to release him. They even threatened to sell Arfath’s organs if the money wasn’t paid immediately.
Sadly, the family’s hopes were dashed earlier this week when the Indian government informed them that Arfath’s body had been found in Lake Erie near Cleveland.
Arfath, who hailed from Hyderabad, India, had completed his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science before heading to the US for his Master’s program. He last spoke to his father on March 7th, and his phone had been off since then. This led his roommates to report him missing to the Cleveland Police.
This tragedy highlights the risks some students face abroad and the immense financial burden that education loans can create for families. Arfath’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of staying safe and keeping in touch with loved ones while studying overseas.
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