Indian Software Engineer Shot Dead By Police In California's Santa Clara

Mohammed Nizamuddin, a 30-year-old engineer from Mahabubnagar, Telangana, was shot dead by police in Santa Clara, California, earlier this month, following an altercation with his roommate.

Nizamuddin had moved to the US in 2016 for higher studies and later joined the workforce after completing his Master's in Computer Science at a Florida university. His family says he was promoted and relocated to California, where the incident occurred on Sept. 3.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear. According to family and relatives, the scuffle began over a minor issue involving an air conditioner and escalated into violence. A neighbour reportedly called the police, and when officers arrived, they asked the occupants to show their hands. Nizamuddin allegedly did not comply, leading to the police firing multiple rounds.

In a statement, police said Mohammed Nizamuddin, from Mahabubnagar in Telangana, was shot after he was found inside his residence in Santa Clara with a knife on Sept. 3. He was also found pinning down his roommate, who had sustained several injuries, NDTV reported.

"SCPD officers arrived, encountered the suspect, and were involved in an Officer Involved Shooting. The suspect was transported to a local hospital where they were later pronounced deceased. The victim was transported to a local hospital and is being treated for their injuries," NDTV reported citing the statement.

However, two weeks ago Nizamuddin in a LinkedIn post, publicly said that "while working at Google via EPAM Systems," he faced racial discrimination, harassment, wage fraud, and wrongful termination. He claimed his food was poisoned and that he was being evicted for standing up against injustice.

Majlis Bachao Tahreek's spokesman, Amjed Ullah Khan, has written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, requesting the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., and the Consulate General in San Francisco to provide a detailed report on the matter and help with repatriation and related formalities.