NEW DELHI: The External Affairs Ministry (MEA) has raised an urgent request with the US for a visa for the family of student Neelam Shinde from Maharashtra who is fighting for her life after a road accident in California, sources said.
“The External Affairs Ministry has taken up the matter and the US side is looking into formalities of for early granting of visa for the visa to the applicant’s family,” sources said.
According to Shinde’s family, she was involved in an accident on February 14 while out for an evening walk. It was a hit-and-run incident in which the car struck her from behind that resulted in severe injuries to her arms, legs, head, and chest, the family said.
Following the accident, the 35-year-old woman was rushed to C Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California, where she is currently receiving treatment in the intensive care unit. In light of her critical condition, the hospital reportedly sent an email to the family, urging them to come to the US as soon as possible.
The hospital required permission to perform surgery on her. “We were informed about the accident on February 16 and have been attempting to secure a visa since then, but we have not received it yet,” said her father, Tanaji Madhav Shinde.