The unending series of deaths among Indian-origin students in America raises alarming concerns. It's claimed that at least 11 students of Indian descent have lost their lives this year alone.
On Tuesday, 25-year-old Mohammed Abdul Arafat was found deceased in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Arafat had travelled to Cleveland to pursue a Master's degree in IT and had been missing for approximately a month, with ongoing search efforts to locate him.
Reports state that Arafat left his residence on March 5 and failed to return. He last communicated with his family on March 7. His father revealed that on March 19, they received a call demanding a $1,200 ransom for his release.
The sudden spike in such incidents has created a palpable sense of fear among Indians and Indian Americans residing in the US. Meanwhile, the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) has analyzed these events to investigate the probable causes of these deaths.
Lakshmi Thalanki, based in Boston, performed data analysis on 10 deaths and reported to PTI that the rising number of fatalities among Indian students is both concerning and suspicious.
The Foundation indicated that the reasons for the student deaths range from suspicious shootings or kidnappings to stress-induced suicides and violent crimes. They also highlighted a lack of awareness about conditions like hypothermia, which is among the causes of these fatalities.
Just last week, Indian student Uma Sathya Sai Gadde's demise occurred in Ohio. The investigation is currently underway. Last month, 34-year-old classical dancer Amarnath Ghosh was fatally shot in Saint Louis.
On Tuesday, FIIDS presented several recommendations to the State Department, Justice Department, Education Department, universities, student organizations, and the Indian-American community regarding these deaths.
The Foundation reported that since the spike in suspicious deaths, there has also been an increase in hate crime incidents in the vicinity of the Indian American community, especially in states like Cleveland, Illinois, and Indiana.
Some fear that negative propaganda against the community is fueling hate crimes.
One in every four international students in the USA is of Indian origin. According to an Open Doors report, there are nearly 275,000 Indian-origin students studying in the USA, spending approximately 9 billion dollars annually on tuition and related expenses.
