‘Racial abuse, food poisoning’: Indian techie shot in US had raised horrifying claims - What family said | Key points

Telangana techie Mohammed Nizamuddin, who was shot dead in the United States by the police after an alleged “scuffle” with his roommate, had made chilling claims regarding his employment and life in a foreign land. A few days before his death, Mohammed Nizamuddin had claimed that he had faced racial discrimination and salary fraud at his place of employment.

Nizamuddin had been working as a software professional in the USA after completing his MS there.

Here are the key points we know about the case:

1. In a social media post, Nizamuddin had recently claimed “racial discrimination, salary fraud and his food being poisoned”.
2. He said, “I have been a victim of racial hatred, racial discrimination, racial harassment, torture, wage-fraud, wrongful termination and obstruction of Justice. Today I decided to raise my voice against all odds... Oppression of corporate tyrants must end and everyone involved in it must be punished severely.”
3. Mohammed Nizamuddin had claimed that his employer had “wrongfully terminated” his employment and was further subjected to harassment and discrimination, allegedly carried out with the help of a “racist detective and his team”.
4. He had also claimed that his food was poisoned.
5. He had alleged, “They altogether wrongfully terminated my employment. It did not end there. They continued their harassment, discrimination and intimidating behavior by the help of a racist detective and team.”
6. Nizamuddin continued: “Lately, situation has deteriorated and become worse. My food was poisoned and now I am being evicted out of my current residence for fighting against unjust," he said.

What did his family say?

Mohammed Nizamuddin's father Mohammed Hasnuddin, citing information received from a friend of his son, said that the incident happened on September 3, though it is unclear what exactly happened.

He said the scuffle between Mohammed Nizamuddin and his roommate took place over a “petty” matter.

“Today morning I came to know he [Nizamuddin] was shot dead by Santa Clara Police and his mortal remains are in some hospital in Santa Clara, California. I do not know the actual reasons why police shot him dead,” Hasnuddin said in a letter addressed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

He requested the minister to ask the Embassy of India in Washington DC and the Consulate General of India in San Francisco to help him in bringing his son's mortal remains to Mahabubnagar.

What did police say?

The police released a video which mentions that they received a 911 emergency call regarding a fight between two people. By the time police reached the spot, the situation had allegedly escalated and the suspect (Nizamuddin) had allegedly stabbed the victim.

“The officer attempted to deescalate the situation with verbal commands. But the suspect ignored the commands… When the officer saw the suspect’s hand holding a knife come down towards the victim, the officer shot four times,” Santa Clara police chief Morgan said in the video.

The suspect was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the police said.

(With agency inputs)