Janaandolan victim Mukesh struggles for life BY A SANAM BHAILA KATHMANDU, May 7 - Mukesh Kayastha, 14, a resident of ward-6 Banepa Municipality, had just completed his eighth grade when he became one of the most critically injured victims of state brutality during Janandolan II. With a serious head injury, Mukesh is currently lying semi-conscious on bed No 271 at the neurological ward of Bir Hospital. A notice, 'Imp. Do not turn on Left side!!', is attached to his bed. Mukesh is unaware that his family, including parents Krishna Man and Meera, have been sitting outside in the corridor, waiting for him to regain consciousness, for almost a month now. He is an only son. His parents also have a daughter. "We were informed only after he was brought to the hospital," said the mother in a meek voice. "Ever since, we have been waiting here." Mukesh was recently taken off the ventilator, but he depends on nozzle feeding and also breathes through a tube pierced through his larynx. He was hit in the head by a bullet on April 10 at Tindobato, Banepa, when the people's movement was gradually gathering momentum. Ever since, he has been fighting for his life. "Mukesh would have been one of the janaandolan martyrs had be been brought in an hour or so later. His condition is slowly but surely improving, yet he's not completely out of danger," said Dr Prakash Bista, one of the neurosurgeons attending him. According to Dr Bista, Mukesh is undergoing some of the best neurological treatment in the whole of South Asia and has already undergone five operations under his skull. He has yet to undergo many major surgeries. "We are waiting for the infection to subside," Bista added. Mukesh's treatment is suprvised by a team of senior neurosurgeons that includes Dr Upendra Devkota, Dr Pawan Kumar Sultania, Dr Gopal Raman Sharma and Dr Prakash Bista himself. According to the surgeons, it might take a long time for him to recover fully. Thanks to the fund collection for the victims of Janandolan II and Rs 30,000 handed in by the locals of Banepa, treatment for Mukesh is continuing so far. "I hope this support will continue until Mukesh recovers completely," said Raju Shrestha, his maternal uncle. "However, it is a problem for us to manage our accommodation in the city." At the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Home Minister Krishna Sitaula said the government was going to form a fact-finding team to study the condition of all those injured and provide them appropriate compensation and necessary treatment. Deeply indebted to both the fund providers and the panel of doctors for their invaluable contribution, Krishna Man said, "These people are like saviors to us, they have helped a lot when there was no hope. I wish my son as well as the nation would get to see a new beginning very soon."