US: Indian consulate offers to fly home 'starving' Hyderabad woman
What's the story
The Indian mission in the United States (US) on Saturday revealed that it had offered travel and medical assistance to a woman from Hyderabad who was found starving on the streets of Chicago recently. A video of the woman identified as Syeda Lulu Minhaj Zaidi surfaced online and sparked widespread concerns over her well-being late last month.
Details
Zaidi's parents contacted MEA for assistance
After the video went viral on the internet, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reportedly received an appeal from Zaidi's parents to help her return to India. In its response, the Indian Consulate General in Chicago reportedly contacted her and offered her medical help and assistance to travel back to the country. However, Zaidi is yet to respond to this offer.
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Here's what Indian mission said
The Indian Consulate General in Chicago stated on X (formerly Twitter), "Happy that we could contact Ms. Syeda Zaidi and offered help, including medical assistance and travel to India." "She is fit and spoken to her mother in India. She is yet to respond on our offer of support to return to India. We stand ready to extend to her all assistance (sic)."
Twitter Post
Twitter post by Indian Consulate General
Happy that we could contact Ms. Syeda Zaidi & offered help, including medical assistance & travel to India. She is fit & spoken to her mother in India. She is yet to respond on our offer of support to return to India. We stand ready to extend to her all assistance.@MEAIndia
— India in Chicago (@IndiainChicago) August 5, 2023
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Details on Zaidi and her life in US
According to the news outlet News18, Zaidi was pursuing a master's degree at TRINE University in Detroit. Her parents lost contact with her around two months before her video went viral last month. On the other hand, Zaidi's mother claimed that her daughter has been in "deep depression" after losing her bag containing her certificates, purse, phone, and clothes while traveling.
Further information
Zaidi's mother's letter to EAM Jaishankar
Earlier, Zaidi's mother had also written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for assistance. "It is requested to kindly ask the Embassy of India, Washington DC, US, and the Indian Consulate in Chicago, US, to immediately interfere and bring back my daughter as soon as possible back to India. Necessary action taken in this regard may be informed," ANI quoted her letter as saying.