Neelam Shinde accident: Neelam Shinde is a 35-year-old Indian student from Umbraj village of Satara in Maharashtra. She is a final year Master of Science (MS) student in the California State University. She is living in the US from last 4 years. On February 14, 2025 met with a serious accident with a car while walking on the road and right now she is in a coma a UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California. She has suffered severe injuries in her arms, legs, and head, and a major injury in her chest which led her to a coma.

Neelam Shinde accident: Parents seeking help for visa

Neelam's parents were informed about the accident after two days by her roommate. Now, they are looking for a medical emergency visa so that they can reach out to their daughter and file a case against the driver.

The hospital released a letter to support her parents in which they requested her father to assist them with her medical decisions while she was intubated.

The letter reads, “Nilam Shinde was admitted to UC Davis Medical Center, 2315 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California, 95817 on 2/14/2025 and remains in ICU level care, in critical condition and with uncertain prognosis. It is requested that this patient's father and uncle be available to come to the United States to visit Nilam Shinde due to their medical condition. This patient's father must assist us with making this patient's medical decisions while she intubated, and her uncle is needed to assist this patient's father with his travels. Uncle is also assisting us with making this patient's medical decisions.”

Neelam's father Tanaji seeked for help from political figures such as Union Minister Murli Mohol, former Co-operation Minister Balasaheb Patil, ex-MP Srinivas Patil, and NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has taken up the matter, and the US side is looking into the formalities for an early grant of the visa for the applicant’s family, according to sources, as reported by news agency ANI.

Supriya also shared a post on X in which she said, "Student Neelam Shinde has met with an accident in the USA and is hospitalized in a local hospital. 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." She also tagged the Ministry of External Affairs, the External Affairs Minister of India Dr S. Jaishankar, and the Indian Embassy US.

Neelam Shinde accident: Police case

Neelam was immediately rushed to the hospital by the local police. It was a case of hit-and-run and the culprit is now in police custody. Yet, the authorities cannot bring charges against the culprit until a blood-related of the victim arrives.