HYDERABAD: A day after the family members of Syed Ateeq Ahmed in Hyderabad brought the suspicion revolving around death of their son in Florida in the United States to the notice of Consulate General of India (CGI) in Atlanta, the CGI has sought more details about the parents. According to the CGI, approval of Ateeq’s parents is required for authorities to share information about his death with the CGI. The CGI in their tweet said, “Ateeq’s spouse has put a hold on any info sharing. They need a court order. Share contact info on cg.atlanta@mea.gov.in”
Ateeq (30) had reportedly died in a car accident in Jacksonville,Florida on March 16. His parents were worried as they were informed about the death only recently. On May 2, the CGI responding to a tweet from Majlis Bachao Tehreek spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan said that they were unaware of the matter till it was tweeted to them that day.
Meanwhile, the CGI said that the Consulate has also written to the US State department’s office of Foreign Missions in Miami. It said, “Help us get the required information. We will chase this matter but need contact details of the parents.”After Ateeq’s death, he was buried in Jacksonville, Florida without his parents being informed in Hyderabad. The family members and relatives of Syed Ateeq Ahmed have raised doubts over his death and appealed to the minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to inquire into his death.
According to the family, it was only on April 29 that they received an email from Ateeq’s brother-in-law informing about Ateeq’s accident. After repeated attempts to reach him, the family received a call back from the brother-in-law informing them that Ateeq had killed himself and that it was a suicide. Ateeq’s brother in Hyderabad alleged that since that day there has been no contact with the in-laws. He raised suspicion as Ateeq would never commit suicide.
On enquiring with other relatives and friends in the US, the family came to know that none of them were aware of Ateeq’s death. Ateeq was married to Shaik Nazia Neloufer in May 2014 and had moved to the US with his in-laws. “Why was the family in Hyderabad informed only after 45 days of his death? Why are the in-laws maintaining silence about the matter? If he really killed himself, what was the reason behind that?” asked the family members demanding a thorough inquiry.