Indian-American doctor, mother of 5, dies in Houston car crash
Darpan News Desk IANS, 13 Dec, 2022 02:52 PM
New York, Dec 13 (IANS) An Indian-American doctor, dancer, and a mother of five children died on the spot after her car was hit by a speeding motorcycle in Houston city of Texas, media reports said.
Mini Vettical, 52, a native of Ramamangalam in Kerala, was on her way home from work when she died in a crash in southeast Houston at around 4 pm on December 7, KHOU 11, a Houston-based TV channel, reported.
She was a faculty member at Baylor University and worked primarily at Harris Health clinics.
"Dr Vettical was devoted to caring for the underprivileged and underserved in Harris County at multiple health centers. The Baylor Family Medicine community is in shock and disbelief. Her beloved personality will be tremendously missed by faculty and staff. She leaves a gap that is hard to fill among her colleagues and patients," a Baylor University statement read.
In addition to medically helping underserved populations throughout Houston, Vettical was actively involved in organisations like Pratham Houston and the Houston Area Women's Center. She was also a class volunteer and involved in the church and dancing theatre.
Vettical is survived by her husband and five children.
Pooja Vettical, the eldest of the five kids, told KHOU 11 that no matter how much Vettical had on her plate, "she always made time for her most important job of all - being a mom".
According to her obituary posted on the Dignity Memorial website, Vettical was born in Kuwait in 1970, and received her medical degree from the University of Texas. She specialised in Internal Medicine.
Her funeral was held on Monday at Houston's St Anne Catholic Church.
Ashok Kumar Prahladbhai Patel, 40, appeared before US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers on November 24, last year at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St Croix for pre-boarding inspection for his flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. During his inspection, Patel presented a fraudulent Florida driver's license, according to court documents.
Nitesh Bissendary, 31, lost control of his black Alfa Romeo in Leopold Street, Ramsgate, England on August 10, killing Yoram Hirshfeld, 81, and his pregnant daughter Noga Sella, 37, on the spot. Sella's husband, their son and daughter aged six and eight, were badly injured in the crash, which occurred when Bissendary's vehicle collided with the family's car.
A graduate visa, previously known as the post-study visa, gives one permission to stay in the UK for at least two years after successfully completing a course in the country. Indians received 41 per cent of the total number of Graduate Route visas after it was introduced in 2021, according to recent UK immigration statistics.
Gurcharan Singh of TREK 2000 International was convicted on Monday of eight charges, with nine other similar charges taken into account in sentencing him, The Business Times reported.
At a press briefing on Friday, WHO emergencies director Dr. Michael Ryan said the organization was glad to see China “adjusting their current strategies” in trying to recalibrate their response to COVID-19.
The Sikh Soup Kitchen recently reached the 5,000-meal landmark since its opening in November last year, and serves 150 hot vegetarian meals every Sunday outside the Luton Town Hall.
