A 30-year-old Indian techie was shot by the police in California after he allegedly stabbed his roommate with a knife earlier this month, officials said, even as his family alleged racial discrimination and demanded a thorough probe into the circumstances leading to his death.
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 September 3. He was also found pinning down his roommate, who had sustained several injuries.
The police said they were responding 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 they were later pronounced deceased. The victim was transported to a local hospital and is being treated for their 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. As the investigation progresses, we expect to provide an update tomorrow afternoon,” it added.
Nizamuddin’s family, however, said it was him who called the police for help before being shot.
Nizamuddin had pursued a Masters in Computer Science at a Florida college and was working at a tech firm in Santa Clara in 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, his family said.
His family also pointed out 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.”
He added: “Enough is enough, white supremacy/racist white American mentality has to end.” 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 sought a thorough probe into the allegations and the circumstances that led to his death. They have also sought the assistance of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to transport his mortal remains, which are held at a hospital in Santa Clara for formalities.
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, D.C., and the Consulate General in San Francisco to provide a detailed report on the matter and help with repatriation and related formalities. 
There was no immediate reaction from the MEA at the time of filing this report.
