A 29-year-old software professional from Telangana, Mohammed Nizamuddin, was fatally shot by police in Santa Clara, California, on September 3 following an altercation with his housemates. His family in India has alleged racial discrimination and harassment, demanding a full investigation into the circumstances of his death.
Nizamuddin, a native of Mahbubnagar district, had moved to the United States in 2016 to pursue a master’s degree in computer science in Florida before joining the IT sector. He later shifted to Santa Clara after securing a promotion. His LinkedIn profile shows he was employed with Google through EPAM Systems, a software engineering consultancy that partners with Google Cloud.
Police in Santa Clara said officers opened fire after finding him armed with a knife inside his residence and standing over his injured roommate. Police Chief Cory Morgan stated that despite repeated warnings, Nizamuddin did not comply.
However, his family insists there is more to the case, citing his own social media posts where he had complained of prolonged racial harassment and unfair treatment at work. In detailed LinkedIn entries, Nizamuddin accused his employer and colleagues of “racial hatred, harassment, wage fraud, wrongful termination and obstruction of justice.” He also claimed to have been subjected to food poisoning, surveillance, and forced eviction, describing what he called “a racist detective and team” involved in intimidating him.
He alleged that while at Google via EPAM, he faced hostility, was underpaid, and was eventually terminated unlawfully. Naming several individuals associated with Google, EPAM, a private detective, property owners, religious groups, and his co-tenants, Nizamuddin wrote that they collectively targeted him.
“It is happening with me today, and it can happen with anyone tomorrow,” he warned in one of his posts, asserting that he was reacting to oppression rather than instigating disputes. He also denied claims of aggressive or disruptive conduct, pointing instead to incidents of provocation by housemates, including thermostat tampering, property damage, and intimidation.
Back in Telangana, his father, Mohammed Hasanuddin, has sought the intervention of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to repatriate the body. Hyderabad politician Amjadullah Khan said he had already reached out to the Centre and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy with details of the case.
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco confirmed it is in touch with both local authorities and the family. “We will extend all possible consular assistance. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family in this difficult time,” the mission said in a statement.
