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In an incident reminiscent of what happened to Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan recently, security officials at New York's JFK airport May 3 detained and questioned Usha Krishnakumar, the wife of former Indian minister S Krishnakumar.
"I have come to the United States several times since 1989. This is the first time I was singled out for questioning," said Krishnakumar.
She had come to attend a nurses' day celebration in Philadelphia organised by the Pennsylvania Indian American Nurses Organisation May 5. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbet was scheduled to attend the event.
At JFK, Krishnakumar was taken to a room for questioning and was asked about the purpose of her travel. When she told the official about the event, the official said he had not heard about such an organisation.
How could he hear about a small organisation in an ethnic community, she wondered. She was traveling alone, and was finally allowed to leave after two-and-a-half hours.
Krishnakumar, president, Indian Nurses Welfare Association, works for nurses' rights and represents them in disputes with hospital management. She was to be presented with the Pennsylvania Freedom Award from the PIANO, said Vincent Emmanuel, one of the organisers.
Image: Usha Krishnakumar