- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Thu, 27 Feb 2025 01:05 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
An Indian student studying in the US has been in coma, following a car accident on February 14. Her parents have been seeking urgent visas to stay by her side. The student, identified as Neelam Shinde, 35, hailed from Maharashtra's Satara district and is currently in the ICU of a hospital in California. Police apprehended the driver who allegedly hit Neelam with a four-wheeler car.
"We got to know about the accident on February 16 and have been trying for a visa since then. But we haven't got it yet," NDTV quoted Neelam's father, Tanaji Shinde, as saying.
Supriya Sule, a Member of Parliament from the Nationalist Congress Party, has appealed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for expedited visa processing to facilitate the family's travel to the US.
"This is an alarming issue and we all need to get together and help resolve it. I've been engaged with the family and assuring them that this will be resolved. My experience with the MEA (the Ministry of External Affairs) has been extraordinarily very very good. They always go the extra mile to help,” NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule said.
As per Neelam’s family, the accident left her arms and legs fractured along with sustaining injuries on head. The family said it has been receiving her health updates daily. According to her uncle, Sanjay Kadam, "The police admitted her to the hospital and her roommates informed us on February 16. They told us that she's met with a huge accident."
"They (the hospital administration) took our permission to operate on her brain. She is in a coma right now and we need to be there," he added.
Kadam said the family has been trying to book slots for visas at the passport office but are not able to do so because the next slot will be available next year. The MEA has intervened in the matter, and the US authorities are reviewing the formalities to expedite the visa process for the applicant's family, news agency ANI reported
