Tragic Shooting of Indian Techie in US Sparks Racial Discrimination Claims
The family of a 30-year-old techie from Telangana is heartbroken and furious after police in California shot him dead. They believe racial discrimination played a big role in the incident and are demanding justice for Mohammed Nizamuddin, a quiet and hardworking young man from Mahabubnagar.
Nizamuddin, who had built a promising career in the US, died on September 3 in Santa Clara. His family only learned about it on September 18, adding to their grief. According to Santa Clara police, the tragedy unfolded after a heated argument at his home. Nizamuddin allegedly stabbed his roommate with a knife, prompting a 911 call. When officers arrived, they shot him. The roommate also ended up in the hospital with stab wounds, and Nizamuddin passed away there despite treatment.
But Nizamuddin’s family tells a different story. They insist he called the police himself for help because the roommate was attacking him. "How can police call my son the attacker when he reached out for protection?" asked his father, Mohammed Hasnuddin. The family claims the roommate was no ordinary housemate—he was allegedly a detective hired by Nizamuddin’s former employer to spy on him.
Nizamuddin wasn’t new to the US. He moved there in 2015 to pursue a Master’s in Computer Science from Florida Institute of Technology. After graduating, he worked at the Virginia Employment Commission starting in 2017, then joined SOCH Company from 2018 to 2021. By the time of the incident, he was employed at EPAM Systems, a tech firm linked to Google, and lived in company housing in Santa Clara.
What makes this case even more troubling are Nizamuddin’s own cries for help. Just 15 days before his death, he posted a powerful message on LinkedIn about facing racial harassment, wage fraud, and wrongful termination. "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 and racist white American mentality has to end," he wrote. His family says he had publicly complained about these issues multiple times, describing him as a religious and reserved person who never caused trouble.
Hasnuddin has written directly to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, pleading for answers on why police shot his son and requesting his body be brought back to India. "This was cold-blooded murder by Santa Clara police," he alleged. The family, who hasn’t seen Nizamuddin in 10 years, wants his remains home as soon as possible.
Majlis Bachao Tehreek spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan visited the family in Mahabubnagar and echoed their demands. He urged Jaishankar to ask the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Consulate General in San Francisco for a full report on the shooting, racial discrimination allegations, and help with repatriation.
As the family pushes for a thorough investigation by both Indian and US authorities, this heartbreaking story highlights the challenges Indian tech workers face abroad, from workplace harassment to police encounters. They hope for transparency and justice to honor Nizamuddin’s memory.
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