by Saima Bhat
SRINAGAR: A man with a slit throat was brought to the district hospital Islamabad (Anantnag) in south Kashmir on Thursday afternoon. After operating upon him he was referred to Srinagar in critical condition.
As per sources in the District Hospital, “He was brought to the hospital by some unknown persons who dropped him straight outside the operation theatre.”
But the chief medical officer of the hospital told Kashmir Life over the phone that he was referred from a primary health centre in Verinag. “His throat had a slit. We operated upon him and then shifted him to SMHS hospital in a stable condition. May be he may need ventilator support.” But a hospital source said, “Even if he survives but he won’t be able to talk. His vocal chords are badly damaged.”
As the last reports came in from SMHS hospital, he has given his statement in writing to police.
The person has been identified as Feroz Ahmad Hajam, around 29 or 30 years old, son of Ghulam Rasool Hajam, a resident of Khrachi in Kokernag.
Feroz, a barber by profession, who runs a shop in Islamabad town, reportedly has been arrested by police and army a number of times, in past. “But on Wednesday he was arrested by 19 RR Army base camp at Nadoora, Dooru.”
Panic gripped in the area around 2.30 pm on Thursday when a rumour spread about the presence of a body inside the camp.
“I got a call around 2.30 or 2.45 pm about the presence of a body in the camp but when we tried to confirm neither army nor police sources confirmed,” said a local, wishing anonymity.
When the news reached to newsrooms in Srinagar, Kashmir Life rang up the hospitals and local police station but nobody confirmed the incident.
But the locals smelled foul when they saw an ambulance from primary health centre Verinag that had a doctor inside it going towards an Army camp. “It was on way to another army camp in Larkipora where they had a critical care ambulance awaiting. But due to a technical snag, it could not move further and they had to call the civil ambulance from Verinag. The doctor inside was asked to refer the patient to district hospital Islamabad and on way to the hospital he was given two pints of blood.”
On reaching DH, some ‘unknown’ people kept the body outside operation theatre and when doctors saw the body they immediately rushed him for surgery, said an eyewitness from the hospital.
They also added that meanwhile Feroz’s brother and sister reached the hospital and then those ‘unknown’ people left.
Meanwhile, police released a statement late night claiming that Feroz was a ‘suspected’ JeM operative.
Police statement
On 5th of September 2018, one Jaish suspect Feroz Ahmed Hajam son of Ghulam Rasool Hajam resident of Iqbal Pora Kherti Larnoo wanted in connection with case FIR number 125/2018 of Police Station Kokernag was brought for questioning.
During the course of questioning the suspect went to attend the nature’s call and while in the washroom attempted to take his own life by slitting his own throat. He was given immediate medical attention and shifted to a hospital in critical condition. He is under treatment in a hospital now.
Necessary legal actions have been initiated.
-with inputs from Shah Hilal in Islamabad.
