Northeast Desk, 15th September: A tragic incident in Kakwa has intensified ongoing protests after a 34-year-old woman, Naorem Sanjita, who inhaled tear gas during violent protests, delivered a stillborn baby on September 14. Sanjita, who was nine months pregnant, was critically injured after a tear gas shell was deployed near her home during a violent student protest on September 10. She is now on ventilator support in the ICU at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).
On the morning of September 14, doctors performed an emergency procedure to remove the lifeless fetus. Following this, her husband, Naorem Deepak, along with community members, staged a protest at the Singjamei Police Station, demanding accountability for the tragedy. The protest escalated as demonstrators blocked police attempts to transfer the baby’s body to the mortuary, accusing authorities of mishandling the situation.
Tensions reached a peak by evening as security forces resorted to tear gas and mock bombs to disperse the increasingly aggressive crowd, which was allegedly trying to storm the police station. The authorities emphasized that the use of force was a last resort and no casualties were reported.
In response to growing rumors, RIMS issued a press release clarifying that while Sanjita remains in critical condition, she is still alive and receiving ongoing treatment. Her vitals remain closely monitored, but the tragic loss of her child has sparked outrage and deepened the community’s grief.
The protesters continue to demand justice for both Sanjita and her stillborn baby, fueling anger over the handling of protests and police action in Kakwa.
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