Syeda Lulu Minhaj Zaidi, a Telangana native on a study visa in the US, who was found on a Chicago street under drastic conditions, is refusing help from others and is currently under the supervision of the Consulate General Of India - Chicago (CGI Chicago) officials.
Minhaj, who was under the care of a Chicago-based family, ran away from their home and continued living on the street despite attempts by the family to bring her back.
“She is mentally disturbed and refuses help from anybody. She doesn’t want to live with anyone or get hospitalised,” said a politician familiar with the matter.
'Will go to my grandfather in California,' says student in video
A video shared by Khaleequr Rahman, a senior leader with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), also showed a social activist Mukarram convincing Minhaj to stop living on the street and accept help from community members to which Minhaj retorts that she will go to California soon and stay with her grandfather.
Though the details are not clear on what happened to Minhaj in the past two months, she mentioned facing a car accident in the video for which she was treated by paramedics.
Minhaj's situation takes a political turn
Minhaj’s situation has not only led many Indian-origin residents in the US to come forward and help her out, but it has also gained political mileage.
Amjed Ullah Khan, a Spokesman for Telangana-based Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT), told The FPJ that he has been working with the Chicago CG to take care of Minhaj ‘from a distance’.
“We are not going to shove cameras on her face and make her more stressed. The CG in Chicago is doing round-the-clock supervision of Minhaj to make sure that she is fine. She is not in the right state to go back to India yet,” said Khan, who slammed BRS leader Rahman for posting videos about the girl’s condition.
“It is clear that Minhaj doesn’t want their help, still they are trying to force her. It’s completely legal according to US law for someone to live on the street and not be moved somewhere else against their will,” added Khan.
A professor by profession, Minhaj moved to US in 2021
Minhaj, who was an Assistant Professor at Shadan College of Engineering and Technology in Hyderabad, went to the US in August 2021 to pursue her Master's in Information Science at Trine University in Detroit.
Though nothing untoward happened to Minhaj in those two years, according to her mother Syeda Wahaj Fatima Zaidi, somebody stole her bag and mobile while she was on the way to another US state two months ago.
“We were not able to talk and get in touch with her these past two months. We don’t know what happened. But I am trying my best to get a US visa and take care of her there,” Fatima told The Free Press Journal on Tuesday. The worried mother was finally able to do a video call with Minhaj on Monday.
As per sources, Fatima is now attempting for a visa to the US with her father having to stay back home due to his heart condition.
