Hyderabad: The state’s tourism department and the GHMC helped a United States citizen, who had lost his luggage in the city, get a temporary passport.
Mr John Frieser, a resident of Aspen Circle in Fullerton, California, lost his bags along with all the important documents at the Kacheguda station and took refuge at the GHMC Begumpet shelter on June 6. Barely a week later, on June 13, Mr Frieser rec-eived his temporary passport thanks to the prompt assistance of the government.
Ms K. Jayshri of Sree Society narrated the story. “After his case was reported in the media, tourism principal secretary B.Ven-kateswara Rao inquired about him.”
A team along with Mr Frieser visited Mr Rao who said he would offer help. He spoke to the US Consulate regarding a temporary passport. The next day Mr Frieser was issued a temporary passport with a year’s validity. “The tourism department has offered to finance his stay, including his passport cost of Rs 9,000, food and clothing,” she said.
Ms Jayshri added, “John was asked to stay in a hotel. However, he chose to take shelter at the home. ‘I am here to study Indian culture and literature, so I prefer to stay in the home and have more frequent interactions with Indians’ were his words. John has no friends or relatives in India. He intends to visit Nepal too. He has now applied for a permanent passport.”
The home in-charge said that the per-day cost for Mr Frieser was Rs 1,000, including his three meals. “He is a vegetarian and mostly prefers to have Chinese food, but loves idli, dosa too. He is welcome to stay till he decides to leave India. So far there is no trace of his luggage”, she added. Sree Education Society is picking up the bills and will be reimbursed by the tourism department.
Mr Frieser informed that he had become a professional writer after dropping out of college. He had reached Hyderabad from Tamil Nadu. When he woke up in the morning at the Kacheguda station, he realized that his luggage was missing. He connected with the railway police, from where he was asked to approach the US Consulate.
