by Umar Mukhtar

PULWAMA: The protests that followed Ansar Gazwat ul Hind chief Zakir Musa’s killing in an encounter in Tral area of Pulwama district, on May 25, left scores of youngsters injured by pellets. One among them was a non-local teenager, Sohanjeet Mandeep.

Sohanjeet, a resident of Ariyia in Bihar hit by pellets in Pulwama district of South Kashmir.

Sohanjeet, a resident of Ariyia in Bihar, works as a labourer in the Pulwama town. Sohanjeet had been to Valley only four days before the incident. On that day, Sohanjeet left his rented premises early to join other fellows for work. That time everything was normal: the shops were open, traffic was normal, and people were going to their respective works.

But in the evenings as he came back from work, the same market place was deserted. There were protests going on almost everywhere in Pulwama. Tired of day-long work, he tried to reach his rented accommodation at Murran Chowk. He was on his way and had no indication of a deteriorated situation. It was during this trek that a volley of the pellets was fired, hitting Sohanjeet direct on his face. He fell there, with blood oozing out of his face.

Sohanjeet was accompanied by his fellow non-resident labourers. With the help of some local youth, Sohanjeet was moved to district hospital Pulwama.

Seeing the critical nature of his eye injuries, the doctors there referred him to SMHS hospital in Srinagar for advanced treatment. He had received bilateral eye injuries. His retinas are damaged. The only thing Sohanjeet could see is darkness.

He had been given the primary treatment by the doctors at the hospital and has been discharged after three days of the keen observation at the hospital.

Sohanjeet was asked to report back to the hospital on Friday to see if there is any improvement to primary treatment. He is likely to be operated for the secondary repair to get his vision back. Dr Tariq Qureshi who has seen him at SMHS told that the future course of his treatment will be decided on Friday.

“The injuries are of grave nature. We will see if he can regain his vision fully or partially only after the treatment,” doctors have told the attendants of the injured worker.

He is the second non-local who has suffered pellet injuries in his eyes. In 2016 there was such a case where a nonlocal Bihari has suffered pellet injuries in his eyes.

Sohanjeet’s uncle who is also a labourer and had come to Kashmir is now attending him. His family in Bihar is worried and wanted Sohanjeet home.

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