Puja alleges torture and forced conversion by US parents.

In a heartbreaking development, an Odia girl adopted by a couple in the United States has issued a desperate plea for help, alleging severe physical and mental abuse at the hands of her foster family. The girl, known as Puja alias Sejal, has urged the Odisha government to facilitate her immediate return to India.

In a distressing video that has surfaced on social media, a tearful Puja recounted her ordeal, claiming her American foster mother has subjected her to relentless torture. She alleged that she is treated like a servant, forced to perform excessive household chores, and lives in constant fear for her safety.

“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,” Puja cried in the emotional video appeal to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

Compounding her vulnerable situation, Puja revealed that her US visa expired in 2023, leaving her stranded without legal protection in a foreign land. Beyond the physical labor, she also alleged that her foster family is pressuring her to convert to Christianity against her will.

Amar Das, a friend who helped bring Puja’s plight to light, made even more startling claims, stating, “They have tried to kill her twice.”

Puja’s journey began tragically when she went missing from a train as a child. She was rescued by Childline and initially housed at a shelter in Nilgiri, Balasore. Later, she was moved to a children’s home in Naharankanta, Bhubaneswar, where she continued her education before being adopted by the American couple in 2018.

What was meant to be a new life has reportedly turned into a nightmare. Puja is now pinning her hopes on the Odisha government for a safe rescue and repatriation.