US embassy grants visa to family of Indian student injured in accident

The United States consulate in Mumbai has granted visa to the family members of Indian student Neelam Shinde who suffered serious injuries in a road accident in California and is undergoing treatment, her relatives said on Friday.

Shinde is still in a coma in a hospital in San Francisco, but her condition has improved slightly, her father said.

A day earlier, the ministry of external affairs had taken up the family's request for an urgent visa with the US authorities.

Tanaji Shinde, Neelam's father, told PTI that they learned from the doctors that her condition had improved. "I received a phone call from her roommate on 16 February. However, she didn't tell me about the accident. Later, she informed Neelam's uncle about it. Neelam is still in a coma, but her condition has improved slightly," he said.

"We went to the embassy today (in Mumbai). They interviewed us and granted the visa within half-an-hour. We will leave for the US tomorrow. Both the Union and Maharashtra governments helped us a lot. The media also helped us," Shinde said. "My daughter is in a coma, we can't do much. I only hope she gets well soon."

Yogesh Kadam, Neelam's uncle, told PTI that she met with the accident on 14 February, but they learned about it only two days later.

Family members were in the process of booking flight tickets, and they will leave for the US as soon as possible, he said. They had a telephonic conversation with the doctors on Thursday evening, and were told that her condition was stable, Kadam said.

US authorities have not asked them to make any payment yet, and the university where Neelam was studying was also helping ensure that she received good treatment, he added. "Her roommates told us that local newspapers there carried news that the Nigerian national whose car hit her has been arrested," Kadam said.