
Ritu Jha–
The body of the missing 25-year-old Indian-origin Cleveland State University student — Mohammed Arfath — was found floating in Lake Erie, Cleveland Police told indica on Tuesday. The discovery of the body has instilled fear in the local Indian students who are shocked at the way Arfath was allegedly abducted and later found dead.
Cleveland Police refused to divulge the exact identity of the deceased citing the ongoing investigation, but when indica called to ask about the body, an officer on the phone replied, “Yes, Mohammed.” The body was found at a location only a few minutes away from Arfath’s residence. According to Christopher Harris, external affairs manager at the Cuyahoga Medical Examiner’s Office, “This case is under investigation, but there does not appear to be any apparent foul play or trauma. The case has not been ruled on yet and is still pending.”
Though Arfath’s family in India had confirmed that they had received a ransom call post his disappearance on March 7, the police had treated it as a missing person case.
The Indian consulate in New York disclosed the identity of the body as Mohammed Arfath, upsetting the local police who said they cannot formally disclose until the identification process is completed. The police said they have informed the family in India as well as the Indian consulate in New York.
Police Sergeant Alfredo Diaz told indica, “We did recover a body yesterday [April 8]. We are waiting on an autopsy report to confirm this person’s identity. The medical examiner’s office will do their exams, and then give us a result on the cause of death and identity of the deceased whose body was recovered from Lake Erie. Once we get that confirmation, only then we can say if it is Mohammed or not. He was reported missing on March 9. Right now, we’re not confirming anything. All of that is part of the investigation.”
The Indian mission in New York tweeted: “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. @IndiainNewYork is in touch with local agencies to ensure thorough investigation into Mr Mohammed Abdul Arfath’s death. We are extending all possible assistance to the bereaved family to transport his mortal remains to India.”
Sergeant Diaz added, “It’s always difficult for the family and the community when someone’s missing, but it will be irresponsible of us to say anything without confirming the identity of the deceased. When a person is reported missing, the information is entered into a state and national database. All law enforcement agencies in the state of Ohio have the information. If we locate a person who’s missing, all the law enforcement agencies will be intimated.”
Arfath hails from Malkajgiri district near Hyderabad in the southern Indian state of Telangana, where his family still resides. They received a call demanding a ransom of $12,000. The unidentified caller informed them their son had been abducted and had threatened to “sell his kidney.”
Though several local Indian students refused to talk to the media, Abdul, who lives in the same apartment building as Arfath did, told indica there are many Indian students live in Reserve Square. He said Arfath lived in the east side of the building with three other roommates.
Abdul said, “We all wonder and talk amongst ourselves why would anyone kidnap for such a small amount.” He said Arfath was not well off, and had not paid rent for the past few months.
Arfath is not the first Indian student from Cleveland to be found dead. Uma Satya Sai Gadde, an Indian student in Cleveland, was found dead earlier this month. Abdul told indica, “Yes, that is true, but he was not kidnapped.”
According to his family, Arfath reached the US for higher studies in May 2023. Last week, his father, Mohammed Saleem, 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.
Saleem reportedly informed his relatives in the US, who filed a missing person’s complaint with the Cleveland police, which, in turn, issued a watch order. According to the order, Arfath was wearing a white T-shirt, a red jacket, and blue jeans.
The family also wrote to the Indian Consulate in Chicago on March 18 seeking help to trace Abdul. Saleem had also appealed to India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for help in locating his son.
The Indian Consulate in New York had earlier posted on X that they are in touch with the US authorities on this case. “@IndiaInNewYork is in touch with Mr. Mohammad Abdul Arfath’s family and authorities in the US. We are working with local law enforcement agencies to find him at the earliest.”