It’s been more than 23 days since an Indian student, Mohammed Abdul Arfath, has gone missing in the United States, raising concerns for his safety. The 25-year-old, pursuing a Master’s degree in Information Technology at Cleveland University, Ohio, has been out of contact with his family since March 7, 2024.
The situation took a more alarming turn when Arfath’s family, residing in Malkajgiri district near Hyderabad, received a ransom call.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad assured The Free Press Journal that, “Safeguarding students and protecting their well-being is a top priority of U.S. college and University administrators, and they work with students to ensure their safety and security.”
However, Arfath’s father, Mohammed Saleem, reported receiving a call from an unnamed person who said Arfath had been kidnapped by a Cleveland drug gang. The caller demanded a ransom of $1200 or else threatened him to sell Arfath's kidney if it was not paid.
Saleem phoned his relatives in the US, who immediately filed a missing person's report with Cleveland Police. According to the report, Arfath was last seen dressed in a white T-shirt, a red jacket, and blue trousers.
In addition to their efforts, the family contacted the Indian Consulate in Chicago on March 18 for help in finding their kid. Saleem has also urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to intervene in order to securely return Arfath home.
Indra Nooyi's advice to Indian students in the US
In this recent incident, Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo, has offered her advice to them. The Consulate General of India in New York on March 21st, 2024 shared a video of Nooyi advising Indian students currently residing in the US.
The 10-minute video was recorded by the CEO of PepsiCo. In the video, she advises Indian students coming to the US to remain watchful and avoid engaging in activities that find themselves in unfortunate situations.
Nooyi urges students to be aware of the resources that are available to them. She strongly suggested they engage with the university support system, the local Indian consulate and local Indian Americans to seek their support when needed.
While suggesting to focus on the law of the country and urging not to delve into this whole area of experimenting with dangerous stuff.
Lastly, she appealed to the students to beware of scam artists, money mules, and social networking sites that are bound to scam.
