Pampore encounter: Sushma Swaraj steps in to help slain Captain’s brother

Nikhil Mahajan’s hopes of returning to be with his family in its hour of grief brightened after his family and friends reached out to Swaraj on Twitter.

Swaraj was quick to direct the Indian Embassy in Washington DC to get in touch with Nikhil, who has just started working after completing post-graduation in electrical engineering. Indian deputy chief of mission, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, immediately got in touch with him and assured all help in expediting the paperwork.

Speaking to The Indian Express over telephone from Boston, Nikhil said: “I am on an F-1 visa that allows me to work for 29 months after post-graduation. But, the visa is issued for 12 months, and it has to be renewed for the next 17 months. That renewal process is still underway; and till I have the renewed visa, I cannot leave the country.” While he had applied for renewal of his visa in December and it was approved on Tuesday morning, it would have taken another two to three weeks for the papers to reach him. The Indian embassy’s intervention is likely to fast-track the process and he will be able to join his family soon.

“I last spoke to Tushar on December 30 or 31…and then had exchanged text messages when he was posted at the front…Tushar was my younger brother…I can’t believe he is gone,” said Nikhil.

Earlier, after her intervention was sought, Swaraj said, “I have asked our Embassy in Washington to speak to Capt Tushar Mahajan’s brother just now and provide him all help.”

She later tweeted, “Our DCM in Washington TS Sandhu has spoken to Nikhil Mahajan, brother of Shaheed Tushar Mahajan. We will take this up with US authorities.”