Agnes Kharshiing regains consciousness but still on ventilator; aide 'conscious'
Meghalaya activists Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma. Photo - Northeast Now

Social activist, Agnes Kharshiing has regained consciousness on Tuesday, but continues to be on life support system.

Her aide, Amita Sangma is conscious, talking, eating and stable, according to a medical bulletin released on Tuesday afternoon.

The medical bulletin released by Dr KK Pandita, the Public Relations Officer of the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) at Mawdiangdiang about 8km from Shillong said, “Her (Agnes) condition as on 13.11.18, at 2 pm is that, she has regained consciousness, kidney function has improved, lung function is showing signs of recovery, her vitals are stable, but her condition remains serious, and she continues to be on ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit.”

Dr Pandita said, “Agnes’s accomplice, Amita Sangma, had multiple lacerations over head, multiple injuries over both hands (more over right hand) at the time of admission. She is in surgical ICU and is doing well. She is conscious, talking, eating and stable.”

The medical bulletin also said, “Emergency CT scan of Head, Thorax and abdomen was done. It showed Bilateral Hemothorax, SDH (blood clot in brain) over left temporoparietal region, fracture of right side ribs (8, 9, 10), and fracture D12.”

Along with Amita, Agnes was brought by 108 Ambulance to NEIGRIHMS on November 8.

Agnes has been unconscious since the day she was brought along with Amita to NEIGRIHMS.

“Agnes was brought by 108 Ambulance to NEIGRIHMS casualty in an unconscious state, at around 6 pm on November 8, with multiple injuries all over her body. The pulse was feeble, the BP was not recordable and she had difficulty in breathing. She was intubated, and multiple fluids, blood transfusions were given, and her vitals were stabilized, in the casualty of the Institute,” the medical bulletin said.

Agnes and Amita were brutally assaulted by a group of more than 30 people after the activist lodged a complaint on the illegal mining and transportation of coal in East Jaiñtia Hills district on November 8.

At present mining and transportation of coal is being banned in Meghalaya.  The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered an interim ban on coal mining in Meghalaya from April 17, 2014, after the All Dimasa Students’ Union and the Dima Hasao District Committee filed an application before it, alleging that the water of Kupli river that flows from Jaiñtia Hills to the downstream in Assam has turned acidic due to haphazard coal mining in Jaiñtia Hills.