US embassy grants visa to family of comatose Indian student Neelam Shinde, father says ‘leaving tomorrow’
The United States embassy on Friday finally granted an emergency visa to the family of an Indian student, Neelam Shinde, who is in a coma after a serious road accident in California.
The father of Neelam Shinde said the family will leave for the US on Saturday.
“I received a phone call from her roommate on February 16. However, she didn’t tell me about the accident. Later, she informed Neelam’s uncle about it. She is still in a coma. However, her condition has improved slightly. We came here (to the embassy). They took our interview and granted visas in half an hour. We will leave (for the US) tomorrow (Saturday),” Tanhaji Shinde told news agency.
He also thanks the Centre and the Maharashtra government for the prompt action.
“Both the central and Maharashtra governments helped us a lot. The media also helped us. My daughter is in a coma. We can’t do much. I just wish she gets well soon,” Tanhaji Shinde said.
The ministry of external affairs (MEA) had taken up with the US a request for an urgent visa by the family of the Indian student, who is battling for life.
Who is Neelam Shinde and what happened?
Neelam Shinde from Maharashtra’s Satara was critically injured in the accident on February 14 and has been in a coma at a hospital since then. Shinde reportedly suffered severe injuries to her head, hand and chest.
Neelam Shinde is a post-graduate student at the California State University. The student was hit from behind by the vehicle and suffered injuries in both arms and legs. She had to undergo emergency brain surgery as well and has been in a coma since then.
Accused arrested
US police officials have arrested a man who hit Neelam Shinde with his car in San Francisco, California, and then fled the scene, leaving her behind.
The Sacramento police department said the 58-year-old accused, Lawrence Gallows, had been arrested after his vehicle crashed into Shinde on February 14 on Fair Oaks Boulevard. The police “worked around the clock” to identify and locate the man.
The incident was reported to the police just before 7pm, but when they reached, the man had fled, and Shinde was on the ground with serious injuries.
Her family had sought an urgent visa to travel to the US to be by her side. The MEA took up the matter with the US.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule flagged the case on Wednesday.
“Student Neelam Shinde has met with an accident in the USA and is hospitalised in a local hospital,” the NCP MP had said in a post on X.
“Her father, Tanaji Shinde, from Satara, Maharashtra, India, urgently needs to visit his daughter due to a medical emergency. Tanaji Shinde has applied for an urgent visa to the USA and requires assistance,” Sule said.
