NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
An Odisha-born woman adopted by an American couple has issued a public appeal for rescue, alleging physical mistreatment, coercion and attempts to force a change in her religion. The 21-year-old, identified in reports as Puja alias Sejal, shared her message through a video circulated on social media, where she tearfully urged the Odisha government to help bring her back to India.
The video, published by regional media outlets and shared on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, shows the young woman claiming that her adoptive parents in the United States have been torturing her and pressuring her to convert from Hinduism to Christianity. She says she fears for her safety and wants to return to her home state.
According to Indian media reports, the woman went missing as a child while traveling by train, was rescued by Childline services, and later lived in institutional care before being adopted abroad in 2018. Her U.S. visa reportedly expired in 2023, leaving her without valid immigration status while living with her adoptive family.
In her appeal addressed to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, she alleges ongoing abuse and says her adoptive mother has threatened her. “Please rescue me,” she pleads in the video.
So far, neither U.S. authorities nor Indian diplomatic officials have publicly commented on the allegations, and there is no independent verification yet of the adoptive parents’ version of events.
Odisha: Puja alias Sejal, adopted by US couple in 2018, releases video alleging torture, forced chores, and conversion pressure by foster mother; appeals to CM Mohan Charan Majhi to bring her back home. pic.twitter.com/QaQ8Ie1hSj
— Angry Saffron (@AngrySaffron) November 11, 2025
