Panaji, March 31 (IANS): Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik, a former Governor of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state, came to the assistance of Kashmiris stranded in Goa on account of the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, after a plea for help on Twitter by a Goa-based Kashmiri businessman went viral.

After Mufti Islah, a journalist, on March 30, posted a video of Goa-based Kashmiri businessman, Mubashir, who is among 800 Kashmiris currently stranded in Goa, Malik reacted saying the Goa government would do the needful.

"Chief Secy Goa is on the job and concerned officials are in touch with your people and they are doing the needful," the Goa Governor tweeted in return. Malik was at the helm as Governor of J&K when the northern state was bifurcated and reorganized as a Union Territory.

In his tweet Islah had said: "Kashmiris in Goa. Stranded, many pennyless due to lockdown and no business, they want government to shift them home or till arrangements are made, be extended help. Some with families have exhausted savings and are struggling to pay for food. Plea from 800 souls selling hand art items".

In one of his speeches since his appointment as Goa Governor, Malik had said that he continues to suffer from a "Kashmir hangover" and has reminisced about his brief but significant tenure in the former northern state on many occasions.

On Tuesday, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also tweeted saying contact had been established with the stranded group of Kashmiris.

"Local incident commander has established contact with them and they will be provided all necessary help," Sawant said.