Assam Woman on Quest to Meet Salman Khan Rescued, Reunited With Family
Begum, 55, had travelled from Assam to Mumbai on a train to meet the film actor because she had read somewhere that “Salman Khan helps his needy fans”.
Pune: In a heartrending effort, social workers from Social and Evangelical Association for Love (SEAL) Ashram rescued Jyotsna Begum after they found her lost at Bandra’s Carter Road in Mumbai, where she nervously asked people to guide her to famous Bollywood actor Salman Khan.
Begum, 55, had travelled from Assam to Mumbai on a train to meet the film actor because she had read somewhere that “Salman Khan helps his needy fans”.
“Our social workers noticed her while carrying out their annual monsoon rescue drive for homeless destitutes in Mumbai city and brought her to our Ashram,” KM Philip, SEAL Ashram founder told Financial Chronicle.
He said the frail and poor woman was noticed when she asked for Khan’s address at Bandra, believing that the actor would certainly help her financially.
“After arriving in the dream city of Mumbai from Assam, an exhausted Begum had become somewhat disoriented and hence lost her way in the city,” said Dr Abraham Mathai, former vice chairman of Maharashtra State Minorities Commission.
She had read somewhere that "Salman Khan helps his needy fans" and set forth on her solo journey with hardly any money, knowing only that the actor lives somewhere in Bandra, Mathai said.
During the counselling sessions at SEAL Ashram, Begum, who lives near Guwahati, had told the social workers that her family is living in poverty, and that she has to take care of her children on her own.
Begum was provided medical treatment and care at the shelter home, near New Panvel, near Mumbai, until she was fully stable, and later reunited her with her family in Assam.
Begum was among 51 destitutes rescued from the streets during the monsoon drive, out of which 12 were successfully reunited with their families.
Lauding SEAL Ashram’s work of compassion, Mathai said this NGO was also trying to build a hospital at their Panvel campus to treat rescued patients more efficiently, and local people.
Set up in 1999, SEAL Ashram has rescued thousands of individuals from the streets over the past 26 years and has successfully reunited more than 700 lost persons with their families across over 25 states of India.
At present, it provides shelter, medical care, psychiatric treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to more than 400 residents at its campus in New Panvel.
