Hyderabad: The family of a 30-year-old Indian techie, shot dead by the police in California, has alleged racial discrimination and demanded that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) seek a thorough probe into the matter.
The family has also sought the MEA’s assistance in getting Mohammed Nizamuddin’s body to his home in Telangana’s Mahabubnagar.
According to the police, Nizamuddin was shot after being found inside his residence in Santa Clara with a knife on September 3. He was also found pinning down his roommate, who had sustained several injuries.
Authorities claimed they responded to a 911 call about a stabbing incident inside the house. A purported altercation between Nizamuddin and his roommate had escalated, leading to the attack.
“SCPD officers arrived, encountered the suspect, and were involved in an Officer Involved Shooting. The suspect was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. The victim was transported to a local hospital and is being treated for his injuries,” the statement said.
“The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office and the Santa Clara Police Department are conducting a joint investigation. This remains an active and open investigation,” it added.
The techie’s family, however, claimed that it was Nizamuddin who called the police for help before being shot. He had apparently pursued a Masters in Computer Science at a Florida college and was working at a tech firm in Santa Clara, California.
“He was a quiet and religious person, and had even publicly raised complaints of racial harassment, wage fraud and wrongful termination from the job,” a close relative said.
The family also pointed to a LinkedIn post by him that said: “I have been a victim of racial hatred, racial discrimination, racial harassment, torture, wage-fraud, wrongful termination and obstruction of Justice.”
“Enough is enough, white supremacy/racist white American mentality has to end,” Nizamuddin had added.
He also detailed allegations of racial discrimination, poisoning of his food, eviction and what he described as continued surveillance and intimidation by a purported detective.
The family have now sought a thorough probe into the allegations and the circumstances that led to his death.
Majlis Bachao Tehreek spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan, who met Nizamuddin’s father Mohammed Hasnuddin, said he has written to external affairs minister S Jaishankar, urging him to request the Embassy of India in Washington, DC, and the Consulate General in San Francisco to provide a detailed report on the matter and help with repatriation and related formalities.
