After meeting with a horrific accident in the US, an Indian student has been in a coma for the past two weeks. What makes this tragedy more terrifying is the bureaucratic battle her father had to go through just to meet his daughter.
Neelam Shinde, a Maharashtra student in California, was hit by a speeding car on February 14. The driver, 58-year-old Lawrence Gallows, fled the scene but was later arrested by the Sacramento police.
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Her family was desperate to meet her as she went through emergency brain surgery. However, the US embassy shockingly gave them the next visa appointment for 2026!
It took political pressure from the Indian government to force the US to look into this special case. After being caught in this red tape horror, Neelam’s father finally got his urgent visa and will be heading to the US on March 1.
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While the visa struggle stories for Indians aren’t new, Neelam’s special case being totally ignored by the US embassy has raised serious concerns over the system and India-US ties. If the government hadn’t stepped in it would’ve been nearly impossible for the grieving parent to meet his daughter bedridden with comatose.
Neelam’s mother had recently passed away, adding to the family’s suffering. Now her father travels alone, uncertain if his daughter will even wake up.
