Guwahati: Even as Arunachal Pradesh mourns the loss of promising boxer Amak Sonam, who succumbed to her injuries in a Guwahati hospital on Sunday, the state suffered another jolt in merely 48 hours when her fellow trainee at the Sports Authority of India’s Special Training Centre (STC) in Naharlagun, Sangio Jomin also passed away on Tuesday.
A gold medallist at the All India Inter-SAI tournament held in Imphal in April this year, karate player Sangio breathed her last in a private hospital in Dibrugarh, on Tuesday evening.
The 16-year-old was on ventilator support in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital, since Monday.
Also Read | Injured Arunachal karate player Sangio’s brain not functioning, says relative
“She was declared dead at around 5:20 pm on Tuesday. Over the past one week, the medical staff in the Dibrugarh hospital tried their best to save her but on Monday, the doctors informed us that her brain had stopped functioning. We were hoping for a miracle but God had other plans,” a close family member said.
“We are taking her body back to Itanagar today, and will be reaching the city by around 7 or 8pm. We are heartbroken, she was a bright prospect but destiny had something else written for her,” the family member added.
Sangio had suffered grievous injuries to her face and jaws during the deadly accident when she along with two other athletes and the driver of the scooter they were riding, collided against a parked truck after the brakes of their vehicle failed near Naharlagun.
She eventually succumbed to her injuries after her brain stopped functioning on Monday.
Dear Reader,
Every day, our team at EastMojo travels through rain, rough roads, and remote hills to bring you stories that matter – stories from your town, your people, your Northeast.
We do this because we believe in truthful, independent journalism. No big corporate backing, no government pressure – just honest reporting by local journalists who live and breathe the same air you do.
But to keep doing this work, we need you. Your small contribution helps us pay our reporters fairly, reach places others ignore, and keep asking the tough questions.
If you believe the Northeast deserves its own fearless voice, stand with us.
Support independent journalism. Be a Member.
Thank you,
Karma Paljor
Editor-in-Chief, eastmojo.com
Born to the late Sangio Tashok Rughu, young Jomin from Kra Daadi district of the state, had won a gold medal at the 6th International Karate Championship in Kolkata last year.
Another athlete, Heema Khoda, was released from the hospital after receiving stitches.
Amak’s brother, who was riding the vehicle, fractured his hand and sustained injuries on the head and has been released from the local hospital.
The three teenagers were on their way to seek admission to their respective schools before meeting with the accident.
Also Read | Arunachal athletes battling for life after deadly accident
Expressing his condolences, Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu tweeted, “Painful that Arunachal’s young, promising Karate player Ms Sangio Jomin passed away following a road mishap. Jomin won the Karate Gold medal in the All India Inter-SAI tournament in April. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved family. May Lord Buddha give peace to her soul.”
The two athletes’ deaths once again highlights a crucial point on road safety and the use of protective gears while riding pillion on two-wheelers. A source close to the incident had said that none of the athletes were wearing helmets, even if the point of ferrying three pillion riders on a scooter is ignored.
Also Read | Arunachal athlete Amak Sonam loses battle for life