Amid scare, missing Indian American student found in Texas

17-year-old Ishika Thakore, who went missing from her home on Monday night, was found safe by Frisco police

A 17-year-old Indian American student, Ishika Thakore, who was reported missing on Monday, April 8, has been found safe, according to the Frisco Police Department in Texas.

“LOCATED – The 17-year-old who was the subject of our Critical Missing Alert from earlier today has been located. We’d like to thank everyone for the offers of assistance and words of support,” Frisco Police posted on X.

Earlier, police issued a critical missing alert after Ishika was reported to have disappeared from her home on Brownwood Drive in Frisco.

READ: Indian student missing for three weeks found dead (April 9, 2024)

“Frisco PD is seeking assistance in locating 17-year-old Ishika Thakore, last seen Monday, Apr 8 at 11:30p in the 11900-block of Brownwood Dr. in Frisco. She is approx 5’4” and 175 lbs, last seen wearing a black, long-sleeve t-shirt and red/green pajama pants,” the earlier alert stated.

However, Fiasco Police have not yet revealed details of how and where they found the teen girl.

Ishika’s disappearance raised alarm bells as several Indian students, who went missing, were found dead later. At least 11 Indian and Indian-origin students, all 25 and younger, have been found dead in the US in the last few months.

Mohammad Abdul Arfath, a 25-year-old Indian student missing since last month was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday.

READ: At least 10 Indian or Indian American students died in US under mysterious circumstances since Jan. 2023 (March 18, 2024)

Arfath’s parents last month received a call demanding Rs 100,000 as ransom for the safety of their son, according to an India media report. A caller claimed to have kidnapped the 25-year-old and threatened to sell his kidney if the ransom wasn’t paid.

Arfath’s father, Mohammed Saleem, said he received a ransom call demanding $1,200 for his son’s release but the abductors did not specify the payment method, according to a report by The Hindu.

Last week another Indian-origin student Uma Satya Sai Gadde, was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio.