Kakwa erupts in protest, Sanjita's stillborn baby 'gifted' to police
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 14 2024: The stillborn baby of Naorem Sanjita which was removed from her womb this morning was gifted to police while Imphal-Moreh highway was blocked.

Sanjita is currently kept in RIMS ICU on ventilation after she suffered extreme shock and suffocation when police fired tear gas shells at her home on September 10 night.

Responding to the unfolding development, the State Government slashed the curfew relaxation period from 4 pm to 2 pm, catching many in the lurch.

A team of doctors and nurses removed the dead child from Sanjita's womb at RIMS this morning.

As Sanjita's husband, Naorem Deepak brought home the dead child, a large number of aggrieved people took the stillborn baby and placed it at the gate of Singjamei police station at Kakwa.

A few minutes later, Imphal-Moreh highway was blocked at Kakwa Naorem Leikai and some places of Singjamei.

In the meantime, a large number of people staged a protest demonstration at the gate of Singjamei police station.

Sanjita's father-in-law Naorem Nimai said that he and his son Deepak brought home the stillborn child from RIMS this morning.

According to Nimai, his son Deepak is currently suffering from deep trauma and bearing a heavy mental burden.

He cannot decide whether he should think for his wife and his first bom child or he should listen to the voice of the people who are standing for him in this hour of grief and sorrow, Nimai said.

The people are demanding that the mother and the child must be brought back together and alive, he said.

Later, an agreement was signed between some Government officials and Sanjita's family inside Singjamei police station.

Following the agreement, police tried to take the stillborn baby to mortuary but the crowd prevented them.

One woman even snatched the agreement signed between Sanjita's family and Government officials and tore it.

Not knowing what to do, police drove their patrol car carrying the child's corpse inside the police station.

While the aggrieved people were blocking roads at Singjamei, Kakwa and Naorem Leikai, the child's corpse was being kept inside Singjamei police station at the time of filing this report.

Following the blockade on Imphal-Moreh highway, the volumes of traffic rose dramatically on Mayai Lambi, Liwa Lambi and along Imphal River bank.

Liwa Lambi was also blocked later in the evening.

Although the protest was by and large peaceful throughout the day, it turned violent after 5 pm.

Even after a young woman in advanced stage of pregnancy has fallen victim to tear gas shells and is currently lying unconscious in RIMS ICU, security forces fired tear gas shells and mock bombs to control unruly agitators who tried to storm Singjamei police station with slingshots and by pelting stones.

The agitators also burnt tyres and other objects on both the lanes of the highway between Singjamei and Canchipur.

At first, police restrained themselves and did not fire any tear gas shells or mock bombs but as the crowd started getting restive and violent, police fired tear gas shells and mock bombs.

Soon they were joined by reinforcements from other police teams and Rapid Action Force.

Even as police managed to clear the road from Singjamei to Canchipur by the time of filing this report, pelting of stones by agitators and firing of tear gas shells and mock bombs by security forces were going on.

There was no report of any casualty till the time of filing this report.

Earlier in the day, a public meeting was held at a Naorem Leikai community hall where a JAC was constituted.

In the afternoon, police diverted all the vehicles coming toward Singjamei/Kakwa from Moirangkhom side to alternative routes.

In the evening, many curfew violators were detained by security personnel at different parts of Imphal city.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by RIMS Media Cell informed that A 1.5 kg dead foetus was delivered at 5 am today and it was handed over to the father, Naorem Deepak Singh.

The foetus was removed after due consultations with her relatives.

Post-delivery, the mother's condition remains critical as before.

At present, the patient has pulse rate of 119/minute, BP-128/75 mm Hg, SPO2-99 % and urine output-1.6 litres in 24 hours.

She is on ventilator support but the medicine to maintain BP is tapered.

RIMS Hospital is giving its best effort with available facilities for her treatment.

It also appealed to the public not to believe rumours that the patient is already dead.

The patient is still alive even though her condition remains critical, it added.

Comment