The death of 30-year-old software engineer Mohammed Nizamuddin from Telangana has raised troubling questions after he was fatally shot by police in Santa Clara, California, earlier this month. According to family members, Nizamuddin, who had been living in the US after completing his master’s degree, got into a dispute with his roommate reportedly over AC on September 3.
Who Was Mohammed Nizamuddin?
Nizamuddin, a native of Mahabubnagar, who had been living in the US was working as a software professional. What began as a quarrel reportedly over an air conditioner allegedly escalated into a violent confrontation involving knives. A neighbour alerted the police, following which officers entered the residence.
“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,” Mohammed Nizamuddin’s father Mohammed Hasnuddin, said in the letter addressed to Jaishankar, as reported by PTI.
VIDEO | Telangana: 30-year-old Mohammed Nizamuddin from Mahabubnagar dies in the US after being allegedly being shot by police following a reported scuffle. Family seeks MEA’s help to bring back his mortal remains. Visuals from his residence.#US #Telangana
(Full video… pic.twitter.com/aV0zoFsyHQ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2025
While the Santa Clara Police Department confirmed that officers opened fire during the confrontation, the precise circumstances remain murky, as per Hindustan Times.
What Happened In US?
A relative of the deceased told ANI that the dispute began over an air conditioner and escalated into a fight involving knives. According to the account, when police entered the residence, they ordered both men to raise their hands. While one complied, the other allegedly did not—prompting officers to fire four rounds, one of which struck Nizamuddin. “From what we know, no proper inquiry was conducted. The firing happened too swiftly,” the relative said.
Nizamuddin was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries. His family in Telangana, devastated by the news, has urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to expedite the repatriation of his mortal remains. In a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, his father Mohammed Hasnuddin also demanded a thorough investigation into why lethal force was used.
 "Heartbreak in Paris, glory in Zagreb: From Olympic humiliation to World Championships bronze, how Antim redeemed herself")
