South Asia Human Rights Journalist Association

Srinagar, Nov 16,2016:  Due to severe pellet injuries in both eyes that left , Faisal Ahmad could not appear in the 10th class  examinations.  The half-blind. student who was injured after Indian forces  directly fired dozens of pellets in his eyes on August 24 in Pulwama district.  15- year old Faisal  resident of Karimabad in Pulwama, is regretting his fate sitting at his home on the day his examinations began. “I had a dream and was very desperate to participate in matriculation exams and  science paper which was his favorite but I am the most unlucky person because I could not attend the exams,” Faisal Ahmad told a media men.
“My vision does not allow me to participate in exams. I am unable to study even.” “The vision of my left eye is lost up to 85 percent while as in right eye 15 percent sight is lost.” While talking about the incident he said, “There was a peaceful demonstration on August 24. The Indian forces fired pellets on peaceful protesters. I was hit in both eyes.”
“I was taken to Neva PHC, then to Pampore and then shifted to SMHS in Srinagar. Two surgeries were conducted on my eyes but my sight could not recover,” he said.
“Now the doctors have said that a third surgery will be conducted in which lens will be installed in my eyes. The doctors are hopeful that 50 percent vision will recover after the surgery but they have not given any date yet,” Faisal said.
He said that he was very desperate to get the date for surgery so that if his sight recovers, he could take part in exams next year.
“I wept on Tuesdday (15 Nov, 2016) morning when my friends went for exams but I was sitting at home,” he said. “Faisal is talented. We have lots of hopes with him. We were hoping that he would top at least in the school but he could not even participate in exams,” Faisal’s mother,Amina  said.
She said that her other son, Amir Hassan, too is lodged in jail under black law Public Safety Act (PSA). “He was arrested on September 11 and was sent to jail under draconian law PSA. He was working with Pashmina,” she said with tears in her eyes.
“My husband is a laborer and Amir was our main bread earner. Now my one son is in jail and other half blind.”
About 113 civilians mostly young boys. over half dozen femals have been killed, around 15000 injured and around 120000 arrested by Indian forces during the ongoing  mass agitation in Kashmir triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen top commander BurhanWani on July 8 in a fake encouter. About half of those injured have been fired with pellets, rendering about 1200 severly injured in their eyes.