A 29 -year-old man from Telangana’s Mahabubnagar district was shot dead by police in the US after a reported scuffle with his roommate, his family said on Thursday.
Mohammed Nizamuddin, a software professional in California, was allegedly killed by Santa Clara Police on September 3. His father, Mohammed Hasnuddin told PTI he learnt of the death through a friend of his son. The exact circumstances remain unclear.
According to Hasnuddin, the clash with the roommate was over a petty matter. He said he was informed of the shooting only on Thursday morning.
In a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Hasnuddin requested assistance in bringing his son’s body back to Mahabubnagar. “I do not know the actual reasons why police shot him dead,” he wrote, seeking urgent help from Indian officials in Washington and San Francisco.
Amjed Ullah Khan, spokesperson of the Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT), shared the family’s appeal with the media and urged the government to intervene.
Nizamuddin had completed his MS in the US before taking up work as a software professional there, his father said.
Officers said they responded to the incident around 6:18 am on September 3 and encountered the suspect armed with a knife. He was taken to hospital and later pronounced dead. The victim was hospitalised and is being treated for injuries.
According to Police Chief Cory Morgan, the fight between the two roommates escalated into violence before officers arrived. Police said Nizamuddin was allegedly holding a knife and threatening to attack again when they forced entry into the home.
“Based on our preliminary investigation, we believe the officer’s actions prevented further harm and clearly saved at least one life,” Morgan said. Two knives were recovered from the scene.
Source: India Today