Caught in Limbo: The Heart-Wrenching Tale of Sharada Kukreja

Pakistan-born Sharada Kukreja, who fled to India 35 years ago, faces deportation due to recent visa cancellations for Pakistani nationals. Despite being married to an Indian and participating in elections, she holds Pakistani citizenship. Sharada appeals to Indian authorities to prevent her separation from her family.

Sharada Kukreja, a 53-year-old Pakistani-born resident of Odisha, faces a daunting challenge as she pleads with the Indian government to prevent her deportation. Despite residing in India for 35 years and establishing a family in Bolangir, she is caught in a bureaucratic trap due to ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.

Originally from Sukkur in Pakistan's Sindh province, Sharada fled to India in 1987 to escape forced conversion and marriage. She married Mahesh Kumar Kukreja and has lived in Odisha since. Despite holding an Aadhaar card and voting in elections, she remains a Pakistani citizen and is now under notice to leave India by April 27.

The Odisha administration is enforcing a nationwide order to revoke visas for Pakistani nationals following heightened tensions in Jammu and Kashmir. While Sharada's husband and children are Indian citizens, her legal status is in jeopardy. Sharada is joined by other Pakistani-born individuals in seeking relief, as similar notices have been served across the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)