KOZHIKODE: Several people and organisations are coming forward to help Chourg Aissia, a 66-year-old French citizen who has been stuck in Kozhikode for over 10 days, and facilitate his return home.
Aissia, who is currently under treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (MCH) for heart ailments, has lost his bag containing his passport, visa and wallet, due to which the authorities were facing difficulty in contacting his family.
Noushad Thekkayil, a human rights activist, said, “We came to know about Aissia through a volunteer at the MCH. Fortunately, a copy of the passport was found from the MCH register allowing us to identify his native place. We have faxed the document to the department concerned.”
He said since they do not know the language, they are taking the help of French tutors in Kozhikode to communicate with Aissia. Different organisations are also trying to reach out to the commissionerate in his native place to connect with his relatives. Meanwhile, the MCH authorities said Aissia was getting better. He was given food and juice of his choice as well as new dresses.
The French citizen told his interpreters that he came to Goa with his family last month. After a two-week stay, they returned to France and he decided to stay back and return after another two weeks. During this time, he went to see a festival in Karnataka and travelled to various places before reaching Kozhikode under the guidance of tour guides.
On December 1, a few people took him to the emergency wing of the MCH after he complained of unease. He fell ill again on December 4 and was admitted to the general ward. By then, he lost his bag containing his passport and other important papers. People who met him said the sexagenarian has been desperately seeking help from anyone who visits him at the hospital to take him back home to his family.