An Indian student is undergoing treatment after being brutally attacked and robbed by unidentified men in Chicago on Tuesday. The victim is Syed Mazahir Ali, hailing from Hyderabad in Telangana, a Masters student in Indiana Wesleyan University.
A representative of Hyderabad-based Majlis Bachao Tahreek took to X to share the CCTV footage of Ali being chased by four men in Chicago. In a post tagging External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the organisation has also shared a video of Ali, profusely bleeding from his nose, pleading for help. Ali is heard saying how "four people attacked him when returning home. "I slipped near my house and they kicked and punched me, Please help me bro, please help me," Ali was heard saying.
.@DrSJaishankar Sir, One Syed Mazahir Ali from Hyderabad, Telangana pursuing Masters in IT from Indiana Weslay University was robbed & attacked on 4th Feb by four persons in Chicago, Since this attack Syed Mazahir Ali is under mental shock and is in need of help.Ask… pic.twitter.com/Cf2jeMAvPw
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) February 6, 2024
"Since this attack, Syed Mazahir Ali is under mental shock and is in need of help," the post read, urging the Indian Consulate to provide legal and medical aid.
Ali's wife Syeda Ruquliya Fatima Rizvi has also written to S Jaishankar. "I am very much worried about the safety and security of my husband in Chicago, USA. I request you to kindly help him in getting the best medical treatment and if possible kindly make necessary arrangements so I can travel to USA along with my three minor children to be with my husband," her letter read.
The Indian Consulate has said that they were in touch with the victim. "Consulate is in touch with Syed Mazahir Ali and his wife in India, Syeda Ruquiya Fatima Razvi and assured all possible assistance," the Indian Consulate in Chicago wrote in a post on X. The Consulate added that it also contacted the local authorities who are investigating the case. This comes as three cases of deaths of Indian students in the US were reported over the last few weeks.
Last week, an Indian-American student in Ohio had died in Ohio. Shreyas Reddy Benigeri was a student of the Lindner School of Business in Cincinnati when he died.
Days before that, Neel Acharya, an Indian-origin student pursuing a double major at the prestigious Purdue University, was found dead near the varsity airport. A 25-year-old Indian student Vivek Saini was fatally attacked in Georgia state's Lithonia city by a homeless drug addict last month.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, a total of 403 incidents of death of Indian students abroad have been reported since 2018 due to various reasons, including natural causes, accidents and medical conditions. Canada topped the list with 91 cases followed by 48 in the UK.
While replying to a question on the safety of Indian students, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Lok Sabha that the welfare of Indian students abroad is one of the foremost priorities for the government. "Indian missions/posts abroad respond to any issues faced by Indian students on a priority basis," he said.
