“Indian Security Forces attack the ambulances and the hospital” : Kashmir Under a State of Emergency

Featured image : JHELUM by Orijit Sen

Since the extra-judicial execution of Commander Burhan Wani and two other members of Hizbul Mujahideen, Indian armed forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police have used excessive force to thwart the mourners from protesting and participating in the funeral processions of the slain militants. So far, around 17 civilians have been killed in Islamabad, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts, while as more than 350 people have been injured from across all districts of the Kashmir valley. There are reports that CRPF and Police have been involved in the destruction of movable and immovable properties. Curfew has been strictly imposed in all districts of Kashmir, but people are defying the curfew at various places.

It is shocking and painful that Indian armed forces have yet again unleashed terror on the mourners and protesters, resulting in massive civilian casualties. The police and armed forces appear to have free hand to kill, injure, torture and destroy property. The government of India and Jammu and Kashmir lack the will to institute a crowd control policy, which can ensure no or minimized civilian casualties. On the one hand armed forces are preventing the injured to be ferried to hospitals, at the same time senior police officials without any credible investigations have begun to accuse the dead and the injured for their own bloodshed. Additional Director General of Police, S.M. Sahai, yesterday in the press conference accused the protestors of looting the weaponry from the Police Station Damhal Hanjipora and then for using it against the police men. Government should reveal the names of those police personnel who were injured by the firearm used by the civilians and where are they being treated; otherwise Mr. Sahai claim is part of the regular government psy-ops.

Besides the protesters, the CRPF and Police at various places have assaulted the patients and attendants inside the hospitals and ambulances. So far we have reports that Indian armed forces raided the Islamabad District Hospital, PHC Lalpora and SMHS hospital.

Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) is concerned about this policy of attacking the ambulances and the hospital. These raids and assaults on the ambulances and inside the hospitals is not the first time. People in Kashmir have witnessed the same in 2008, 2009 and 2010 civil uprisings. Attacking hospitals and ambulances is a crime under the International Humanitarian Law and Indian armed forces have been repeatedly accused of this crime in Kashmir. There is absolute lawlessness and impunity enjoyed by the Indian armed forces and this must be condemned by the people of conscience in India and internationally.

JKCCS has been able to acquire the list of the injured who were admitted in District Hospital, Islamabad and SMHS Hospital, Srinagar. Through this press release, we are releasing the list of injured admitted at SMHS Hospital yesterday. Later, we will share the list of injured admitted in district hospital Islamabad and possibly other hospitals.

Amongst more than 100 patients who were brought to SMHS Hospital, Srinagar a total 55 patients were admitted on 9 July till 9 p.m. Out of 55 patients, four are women, amongst whom three have bullet injuries in their abdomens and all of them are from Bijbehara. From the list of 55 patients two patients have died in the hospital, while as three are said to be still in critical condition.

Out of 55 patients who were admitted in the SMHS hospital, 16 have bullet injuries, while as two people have injuries due to torture by soldiers and 37 people were injured due to pellets. From the 37 persons injured due to pellets, 19 have severe eye injuries as well, which according to doctors may result in permanent visual impairment. About five patients atleast have bullet or pellet injuries on their back side, which clearly means that despite trying to flee away they were attacked by the armed forces. From the available records, it appears atleast 40 out of these 55 patients have above waistline injuries. Around 18 patients out of 55 admitted yesterday at SMHS Hospital are below the age of 18 years.

Several patients with injuries prefer not to get admitted in the hospital as the Police and CRPF have arrested some patients from the hospital and two from the SMHS Hospital Casualty ward. Since yesterday, atleast four times the Police and CRPF have raided the Hospital casualty.

Here is the list of 55 patients who were admitted in the SMHS Hospital yesterday:

1. Ashiq Ahmed Lone – 18 years

S/O Ghulam Nabi Lone

R/O Khrewshar

Bullet injury in left thigh

1. Mehrajuddin Ganai – 20 years

S/O Gulzar Ahmed Ganai

R/O Barsoo, Awantipora

Bullet injury in left buttock

1. Umar Majeed – 18 years

S/O Abdul Majeed Hurra

R/O Barsoo, Awantipora

Bullet injury in left buttock with pelvis

1. Aqib Dar – 18 years

S/O Abdul Gaffar Dar

R/O Awantipora

Bullet injuries in both legs

1. Mohammad Shafi Dar – 24 years

S/O Ali Mohammad Dar

R/O Goripora, Awantipora

Bullet injury in the right leg

1. Danish Bhat – 22 years

S/O Abdul Salaam Bhat

R/O Shopian

Bullet injury in abdomen

1. Showkat Ahmed Rather – 22 years

S/O Mohammad Ramzan Rather

R/O Simthan, Bijbehara

Bullet injury on the left side of neck (Critical)

1. Umar Shafi – 16 years

R/O Achabal, Islamabad

Bullet injury on head

(Dead body handed over to the family)

1. Azad Hussain – 25 years

S/O Ghulam Mohammad

R/O Pudsoo, Shopian

Bullet injuries in both legs (Death)

1. Khalid Bhat – 22 years

S/O Ghulam Nabi Bhat

R/O Achabal, Islamabad

Bullet injury in left buttock

1. Shahid – 16 years

S/O Fayaz Ahmed

R/O Kokernag, Islamabad

Bullet injury in the right abdomen (Critical)

1. Rasik Lone – 25 years

S/O Mohammad Hayat Lone

R/O Shopian

Bullet injury in the right side of the back

1. Junaid Baba – 20 years

S/O Manzoor Ahmed Baba

R/O Kulgam

Bullet injury in the pelvis

1. Shaheen Jaan – 25 years

W/O Parvez Ahmed

Bullet injury in abdomen

1. Shameema – 25 years

W/O Abdul Rashid

R/O Bijbehara

Bullet injury in abdomen

1. Ruksana – 25 years

W/O Mohammad Shafi Bhat

R/O Arwani, Bijbehara

Bullet injury in right shoulder

1. Zahid Rashid – 18 years

S/O Late Abdul Rashid

R/O Mindoora, Tral

Pellet injury in left eye

1. Farooq Ahmed Rather – 25 years

S/O Ghulam Nabi Rather

R/O Frestbal, Pampore

Pellet injury in chest

1. Aqib Hassan Parray – 25 years

Ghulam Hassan Parray

R/O Tahab, Pulwama

Pellet injuries on chest, bilateral legs and arms

1. Manzoor Ahmed Wani – 25 years

S/O Abdul Rashid Wani

R/O Barsoo, Awantipora

Pellet injury in the head

1. Umar Najjar – 21 years

S/O Ghulam Mohammad Najjar

R/O Natipora

Pellet injury to face and chest

1. Babur Mir – 21 years

S/O Ghulam Nabi Mir

R/O Tarzoo, Sopore

Pellet injury in left eye

1. Aamir – 18 years

S/O Manzoor Ahmed

R/O Kulgam

Pellet injury on forehead (Critical)

1. Zubair Dar – 18 years

S/O Abdul Hameed Dar

R/O Kulgam

Pellet injuries in right abdomen and left leg

1. Tabish Bhat – 20 years

S/O Mohammad Rafiq Bhat

R/O Pampore

Pellet injuries in left eye and face

1. Sadiq Ahmed Dar – 19 years

S/O Mohammad Siddiq Dar

R/O Pampore

Pellet injury in right buttock

1. Saaliq Bidroo – 20 years

S/O Nasir Ahmed Bidroo

R/O Baramulla

Pellet injuries in right eye and face

1. Riyaz Ahmed Dar – 25 years

S/O Abdul Majeed Dar

R/O Barsoo, Awantipora

Pellet injury in abdomen

1. Altaf Ahmed – 25 years

S/O Ghulam Ahmed Rather

R/O Kakpora, Pulwama

Pellet injuries on face and head

1. Sheikh Sajjad – 21 years

S/O Ghulam Nabi Sheikh

R/O Nalbal, Nowshehra

Pellet injury in left eye

1. Aqib – 18 years

S/O Abdul Rehman

R/O Kokernag, Islamabad

Pellet injury in the right eye

1. Aamir – 16 years

S/O Abdul Gani

R/O Shopian

Pellet injury

1. Sheikh Tahir – 25 years

S/O Abdul Rashid Sheikh

R/O Parimpora, Srinagar

Pellet injury in the right eye

1. Zubair Ahmed Dar – 20 years

S/O Ghulam Rasool Dar

R/O Islamabad

Pellet injury in the left eye

1. Aasif Lone – 18 years

S/O Mohammad Subhan Lone

R/O Sopore

Pellet injury in both eyes

1. Hazim – 15 years

R/O Sopore

Pellet injuries in both eyes

1. Umar – 23 years

S/O Farooq Ahmed

R/O Khonmuh

Pellet injury in left eye

1. Gowhar Ahmed Shergojri – 16 years

S/O Abdul Razak Shergojri

R/O Rajpora, Pulwama

Pellet injury in right eye

1. Mohammad Asif – 16 years

S/O Mohammad Sultan

R/O Zainpora

Pellet injuries in both eyes and chest

1. Fayaz Ahmed Malik – 30 years

S/O Ghulam Mustafa Malik

R/O Shirpora, Islamabad

Pellet injury in right eye

1. Shoaib Ahmed Bhat – 19 years

S/O Mohammad Ismail Bhat

R/O Mitrigam, Pulwama

Pellet injury in left abdomen

1. Mohammad Shafi – 18 years

S/O Ali Mohammad

R/O Pakharpora

Pellet injury in head

1. Mohammad Yaseen – 15 years

S/O Ghulam Mohammad

R/O Chrari Gund

Pellet injury to right eye

1. Nazir Ahmed Wani – 25 years

S/O Abdul Rehman Wani

R/O Kellar, Shopian

Pellet injury to chest

1. Tufail Reshi – 24 years

R/O Tral

Pellet injury to head, neck and right arm

1. Yawar ul Islam – 24 years

R/O Nihama, Kulgam

Pellet injury to right thigh

1. Sameer Hajam – 20 years

S/O Ghulam Nabi Hajam

R/O Kellar, Shopian

Pellet injury to face and head

1. Mudassir Ahmed Sofi – 19 years

S/O Shabir Ahmed Sofi

R/O Khanpora, Baramulla

Pellet injury in right eye

1. Adil Rashid Wani – 17 years

S/O Abdul Rashid Wani

R/O Tral

Pellet injury in left eye

1. Ulfat Nengroo – 19 years

D/O Ghulam Mohammad Nengroo

R/O Nanil, Bijbehara

Pellet injury in left eye

1. Adil Shafi – 20 years

S/O Mohammad Shafi

R/O Hassan Pora, Bijbehara

1. Tajamul – 19 years

S/O Ghulam Mohiuddin Malik

R/O Palhallan, Pattan

Pellet injuries in face, chest and eye

1. Khalid Mir –

S/O Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir

R/O Pulwama

Pellet injury

1. Zubair Malla – 22 years

S/O Mohammad Akbar Malla

R/O Awantipora

Injuries due to torture

1. Aabid Ahmed Wani – 16 years

S/O Ghulam Mohiuddin Wani

R/O Jovpora, Awantipora

Head injury due to torture