Key Points

While adressing the weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that, "There has been an incident in California. We are in touch with the family. We also understand that an investigation is underway by local authorities."

Jaiswal added that US authorities had already released preliminary details of the case. "You would have also seen that the local police department, they have put out a video and a statement giving details of the circumstances," he said.

Reiterating India's commitment to providing support in such situations, the MEA stated, "We are also in touch with the family and will render our possible assistance in this matter."

Mohammed Nizamuddin, a 30-year-old software engineer from Mahabubnagar, Telangana, was shot by police in California earlier this month.

Before his death, Nizamuddin had publicly spoken about facing harassment and racial discrimination, both at his workplace and in his personal life. He even claimed that attempts had been made to poison his food.

In a LinkedIn post, he identified himself as a "victim of racial hatred" and urged an end to what he described as the "white supremacy/racist white American mentality."

He wrote: "I have been a victim of racial hatred, racial discrimination, racial harassment, torture, wage-fraud, wrongful termination and obstruction of Justice... Enough is enough. Oppression of corporate tyrants must end."

Nizamuddin stated that he had been employed with Google through the US-based software services firm EPAM Systems, but accused both the company and his colleagues of fostering hostility and underpaying him. "In addition to that, the company committed a salary fraud... They altogether wrongfully terminated my employment," he alleged.

Following the loss of his job, he said the intimidation continued through a "racist detective and team" and escalated until he was evicted.

Nizamuddin had gone to the US in 2016 to pursue higher studies at Florida College. After completing his course, he joined a company and later moved to California after being promoted, his family said.

- ANI