J&K: 23-yr-old organ donor plans to move court

Hopes appear to be fading for 22-year-old Malik Samreen Akhtar who suffers from a kidney failure, after the hospital rejected her friend's offer of an organ donation. Determined to save her friend's life, however, 23-year-old Sikh girl Manjot Singh Kohli now plans to move court to seek permission to donate her kidney.

The development follows the decision taken by the authorisation committee for organ transplants to reject the donation, given the legal issues involved and the charges made by her father Gurdeep Singh Kohli in an affidavit.

Manjot and Samreen met four years ago, and had been the best of friends ever since. Samreen suffers from a kidney ailment, and doctors advised her to undergo a transplant. Her family members offered their kidneys but they didn't match. But when all seemed lost, Manjot came forward with an offer to donate hers. And when the tests matched, she even completed the formalities.

However, the hospital cited her father's representation cautioning against removing his daughter's kidney for the transplant. "I am an adult at 18, and have the right to decide what I want to do. The law is above relations and emotions. And we are now discussing about going to court," said Manjot.

Samreen's father Mukhtar Ahmad too has said he would abide by Manjot's decision. "We have discharged Samreen from the hospital. It's up to Manjot now. We are ready," he said.