Srinagar, Aug 10: The night has fallen. There is deceptive calm on the roads. A fast moving ambulance ferries the latest victim of government forces to Srinagar’s SK Institute of Medical Sciences.
Ishtiyaq Ahmad of Mehjoor Nagar, a salesman, was allegedly thrashed by CRPF troops a few days ago fracturing his right leg. The worry for the doctors attending him in the Emergency Ward is that the beating has resulted in complications.
“The fracture has led to entry of a fat tissue into blood vessel which has reached near brain, obstructing its vital functions. It has pushed the patient into coma and can lead to permanent disability,” explains a doctor. Ishtiyaq was shifted from Bone and Joint hospital- where his leg was plastered - to the valley’s only premier tertiary care hospital around 10 pm on Sunday when his condition deteriorated, said one of his attendants.
“He was going to Masjid to offer prayer when CRPF men beat him up. There was no stone pelting,” asserts the attendant. Ishtiyaq is one of those civilians who have been victims of Police and CRPF action because they happened to pass by at a wrong time.
Upstairs in the Surgical ICU the atmosphere is tense. The doctors only whisper about the condition of patients, and faces of the attendants wore a concerned look. There is a reason. Fida Nabi, a teenager from HMT who was injured in Police and CRPF action on August 3, lost his battle for life at around 11 pm.
“He had received a bullet injury in his head and was on ventilator for past few days,” said a doctor. The ward has witnessed dance of death frequently in past few days with four patients who had received bullet injuries having passed away.
“They had bullet injuries in their heads and in such cases there are minimal chances of survival,” explained a doctor.
Two more patients, who have been put on life support system, are too battling for life. Muhammad Akbar Wani of Rangwar, Varmul, (MRD No 622132), received bullet injury in his head last Tuesday and Abdur Rashid Reshi of Sombora Pampore, (MRD No 622402), was shot in his head on Thursday.
Both the patients have been operated upon but there are minimal chances of survival. “They are in vegetative state, only vital organs are functioning on life support system. They might recover but they are in a critical condition,” whispers a doctor.
A team of doctors monitor their condition round the clock. “We are in a profession where people are dependent on us and we have to work irrespective of the outcome of the treatment,” explains the doctor when asked how hectic the job has been for past two months.
Their attendants could only hope that the patients would recover. “Everything is up to Allah,” said Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir, Reshi’s brother-in-law. Reshi, a farmer, has a son, daughter and wife while Wani has a wife. Like Ishtiyaq, the duo was not part of any protest, the attendants said.
The hospital has reportedly received more than 300 cases of fire arm injuries since July 11 when protests started gathering momentum in Kashmir over death of a downtown teenager, Tufail Ahmad. The injured include those hit on head, chest and abdomen.
In Post Operative Ward outside the Surgical ICU, the condition of four patients injured in police and CRPF action is no better.
Ghulam Muhammad Lone, a truck driver from Sonamarg was returning home from New Delhi on July 24 when he was stopped by CRPF near Lar, Ganderbal.
“He was thrashed with batons and stones. His one eye been completely damaged and there are multiple fractures in his skull with some dislocated bones. He will be operated on Monday again and doctors will try to fix his dislocated bones and remove pieces of other bones which have pierced deep into the skull,” said his attendant and neighbor, Ghulam Mohiuddin.
But the worry for the family is that Lone’s wife has no money to buy medicines for his husband’s treatment. “He has nobody in relation expect for wife and three young children including two daughters. I don’t know how the family can manage the treatment,” sighs Mohiuddin.
The story of Firdous Ahmad of Bemina, Muneera of Sirnoo, Pulwama, and a teenager Adil Ahmad of Lousin, Pulwama, in the ward is no different. They all have received bullet injuries.
Writhing in pain, Firdous was shot at twice in his left leg on Monday last. Adil received three bullets on Thursday last. Muneera was shot at near her abdomen on August 3.
Concerned, the family members narrate the same story. The injured who have been operated upon and bullets removed, were never part of any protests but were out on roads for one reason or other.
“My son is not able to move his foot though doctors repaired his damaged leg. What crime had he committed?” Chesfeeda, mother of Firdous, asks with moist eyes.
Firdous’ neighbour, Muhammad Yasin, a teenager, recovering from bullet injury looks anxiously. He candidly admits that he was part of stone pelting group of youth when he was hit by bullet fired by CRPF troops. But he has no regrets.
“Given a chance I will again pelt stones. We want a permanent solution to Kashmir as per the aspirations of people,” Yasin, a 10th class student tries to explain why people are angry and pelting stones. “How long will Kashmir continue to suffer?” he asks.
Perhaps Yasin represents a generation of Kashmiri youth who are feeling frustrated by the dilly-dallying policy of Government of India to solve Kashmir issue permanently.

300 cases of firearm injuries
THE hospital has reportedly received more than 300 cases of firearm injuries since July 11. The injured include those hit on head, chest and abdomen.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST