South Asia Human Rights Journalist Association

Srinagar,  Nov 17 2017 :  After the killing of top young liberation leader of disputed Kashmir Burhan Wani on July 2016 , more than 75 percent of those who suffered pellet injuries during massive protests belong to the northern districts, said a report submitted by the authorities and  PDP-BJP regime to the State Human Rights Commission.
As per report the among the total 1725 pellet casualties, 1300 occurred in northern areas, with Sopore accounting for the highest (440) pellet victims in the Kashmir Valley, which is more than the 261 pellet casualties in southern districts.
Taking suo-moto cognisance of a news report published in a local daily, the SHRC had directed deputy commissioners of various districts to submit a report regarding the pellet victims. Nearly 90 percent of the injured treated at the district hospitals were in the age group of 16-25 years. Pellets have rendered either one or both their eyes injured to the extent that their vision has been irreparably damaged.
According to the data submitted by the deputy commissioner concerned, pellets have blinded  440 the highest number of people in Sopore   and in Baramulla 244 number of casualties , with six youngsters Asif Ahmad, Ajaz Ahmad Mir, Farooq Ahmad Dar, Azher Ahmad Dar, Shakeela Begum and Rayees Ahmad Bhat blinded in both eyes.
In Sheeri area of Baramulla alone, pellets have damaged the eyes of 155 people and in Dangiwancha area of the same district, 99 people were hit by pellets, one of them, Khazir Muhammad Bhat, had injuries in both eyes.
 In Kreeri, Pattan, Rohama, Kunzer and Tangmarg areas of Baramulla district, 314 people sustained eye pellet injuries.
As per the data, pellets have not only damaged eyes, but have also perforated lungs, arms, eyelids, legs, face, chest, head and back of the victims.
In Kupwara northern district, , 48 people have been injured in the eye, of them had injuries in both eyes.
In southern Kulgam district, 154 people have been injured in the eye. Of the injured people, two were given treatment at the PGI Chandigarh in India and the All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.
In Shopian district, where the14–year-old girl Insha Malik became the emblem of the pellet horror, losing both her eyes to scores of pellets fired into her face, 51people have received eye injuries---25 had pellet injury in the right eye, 18 in the left eye and three people had both their eyes damaged.
In another southern district, Pulwama, where the uprising was the fiercest, 47 people’s eyes have been left damaged by the pellet ammunition. The report submitted by the deputy commissioner Pulwama says the majority of the injured have 30 percent disability.
In southern district Islambad, nine people have been injured in the eye – four in right eye, three in left eye, one had retinal detachment and one had his both eyes blinded by pellet guns. Budgam district is yet to submit the list of the injured.
In Srinagar 27 people have been injured by pellets and in Ganderbal district, 137 people suffered pellet injuries and 27 people from Srinagar lost their vision due to pellet injuries. Ganderbal district hospital, sub-district hospital, and the primary health care centre received 137 patients with pellet eye injury, as per the report of the government.