Daijiworld Media Network - New York

New York, Nov 11: A 21-year-old woman from Odisha, identified as Puja alias Sejal, has released a viral video appealing to the Indian government for help to return to her home state. In the video, she alleges severe mistreatment by her foster mother in the United States and describes her current situation as unsafe and distressing. Reports indicate that her visa expired in 2023, leaving her without legal protection in the country.

Puja was adopted in 2018 at the age of 14. In her video, she recalled her time in Odisha fondly, saying, “I was staying and studying at a hostel in Bhubaneswar and was very happy. Since I came to America, I am not happy at all. My foster mother forces me to do a lot of household work after I return from school.” She further alleged that her foster parents even attempted to kill her and pressured her to change her religion.

The woman also claimed that she earned around Rs 10 lac while working during school holidays, but her foster mother confiscated the money, leaving her unable to fund a return to India independently. “I humbly request the Odisha chief minister to bring me back home. I am tortured a lot here. I want to return to Odisha and find my real parents,” she said.

The identities of her foster parents remain unclear, though a photo purportedly showing them has circulated on social media. Reports suggest that Puja went missing as a child while traveling on a train and was later rescued by an NGO.