Student of Hyd goes missing in US, parents receive ransom call

Hyderabad:A 25-year-old student from Hyderabad has gone missing in the United States of America, while his family here has received a ransom call.

Mohammed Abdul Arfath, who is pursuing a master's degree in Information Technology at Cleveland University, Ohio, has not been in touch with his family since March 7.

His parents, residing in Malkajgiri district near Hyderabad, have received a call demanding a ransom of $12,000. The unidentified caller informed them that their son had been kidnapped and threatened to sell his kidney.

Arfath went to the US in May 2023. His family claims he has not spoken to them since March 7. Consequently, on March 8, Abdul's relatives and close friends in the US filed a complaint with the Cleveland police, who have issued lookout notices for him.

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 a ransom but did not mention the mode of payment.

“I received a call from an unknown number, and the caller informed me that my son had been kidnapped and demanded money. The caller did not mention the mode of payment but simply asked for the amount. When I requested to speak to my son, the caller refused,” said Saleem.

He then informed his relatives in the US, who filed a missing complaint with the Cleveland police, resulting in the issuance of a watch order. According to the order, Arfath was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, a red jacket, and blue jeans.

The family also reached out to the Indian Consulate in Chicago on March 18 to seek assistance in tracing Abdul. Saleem has also appealed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for help in locating his son.