Srinagar, Aug 23: 15-year old Danish Ahmad Shiekh of Tarzoo Sopur is hopeful that he will regain his eyesight. But doctors at SMHS hospital here say he will never be able to see again.
On August 19, Danish was hit by a pellet fired by paramilitary CRPF in his left eye outside his house a minute after he broke his fast and was intending to offer evening prayers in the local masjid.
Lying in bed 16 of Ophthalmology ward of SMHS hospital, Danish takes up a newspaper lying there after every five minutes, closes his right eye to check the eyesight of his left one. “I hope I will regain my eyesight. As of now I can’t see but I hope I will regain it,” says Danish with a big sigh.
Danish is a 9th class student of Government School Takiabal, Sopur. He expresses hope in every answer. “If I survive, I will return to school,” he said. Danish never hurled a stone at police or paramilitary CRPF. In the past two months his uncle had virtually banned him from venturing out since the area witnessed deadly clashes between protesters and troopers. Danish says he was never part of protests and was going for prayers after breaking fast.
On the fateful day, a CRPF cavalcade was firing indiscriminately on every alley in his locality to confine people indoors. Danish became victim of pellet firing of CRPF and fell down. He has received pellet injuries in eye, head, chest and abdomen.
Now a changed Danish says, “If I survive, I may join the stone pelters.”
There are many similar cases, some discharged by the SMHS hospital administration and some still lying in beds, with grave injuries in their eyes. Doctors here say 26 persons fired in eye have been admitted in the Ophthalmology ward for past one month. “This is atrocious,” said a doctor frustrated by the terrible condition of the patients with bullet, teargas and pellet injuries in eyes.
Of the 26 patients, two have been eviscerated while doctors say majority of them have lost eyesight. “We would have eviscerated eyes of few more but they were too young and it would have deformed their facial shape,” said a senior doctor in ward 8. He said the forces were targeting the vital organs of the Kashmiri youth with 
slingshots, bullets and teargas shells to make them visually handicapped. “It is unbearable. Small kids are becoming visually handicapped in forces’ action,” he said.
On last Friday, another boy, a 12th class student Zubair Parvez Khan of Khanyar was hit by a marble stone by paramilitary CRPF on eye outside his house. His right eye got completely damaged. A senior doctor, who was treating Zubair said, “His retina has been damaged completely and he can’t see again.”
Muhammad Younis of Rajouri Kadal, Abdul Qayoom of Noorbagh, Javaid Ahmad of Dalal Mohalla, Ishfaq Sidique of Batamaloo and Tanveer Ahmad of Hyderpora are others who lost their eyesight in paramilitary CRPF slingshot action and bullet firing.
Another teenager, Muhammad Sajid of Sopur was hit in his left eye by a rubber bullet of paramilitary CRPF. He also lost his eyesight. Rayees Ahmad of Kakpora, Pulwama, was hit by a teargas shell on right eye. He is undergoing treatment in the hospital. But doctors say his chances of retaining eyesight are very bleak.
Another victim of CRPF pellet firing on eye, Feroz Ahmad of Soura is undergoing treatment. For him doctors say chances are less. But, final results are yet to come. Doctors in SMHS termed the police and paramilitary CRPF action outrageous. They said, “If government exists somewhere, it should intervene and save our youth from becoming visually handicapped.”

Lastupdate on : Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST