Another doctor fell to bullets. A sympathetic note followed from the authorities, but as usual no
Ex- director of SKIMS,
an ex-head of the department and a doctor who was engaged in care of
Kashmiri patients….Almost two decades back the bullets hit another
doctor of SKIMS, another head of the department, a bold surgeon, a
conceiver, a visionary and a humble human being-Prof.Abdul Ahad Guru.
He was murdered for a crime that each one of us committed those
days-asking for something that was denied to us for ages. His murder was
wrapped under the thick black quilt of “murder by un-identified
gunmen.” No one spoke for the justice to the victim or to his family. A
young boy lost his father, a woman lost her husband and Kashmir lost an
able son. No probes, no inquiries and the matter stood forgotten. probes
and no inquiries. In a few weeks from now the matter will be
forgotten. This time it was an
The
fear that gripped the community of doctors was so much that Dr.Guru was
never remembered on his death anniversary, never was a lecture
delivered in his honor, and never was a stone erected in his memory in
the very premises of the college he conceived. No medical associations
of the state, country or the world-talked about
Dr.Guru….ever.-
Years
went by , a loyal bureaucrat of Government of India who has played
long innings in Kashmir came out with the stunning revelation in his
book ‘My Kashmir’ about the truth regarding the murder of
Dr. Guru.
He named those who were responsible for the dastardly act, he named the
real men behind the scene as he removed the dark quilt from the dark
scene. A late revelation- nonetheless informative. No one yet again
after these facts which exposed the authorities came to the surface-
spoke about justice to the victim. The family had possibly reconciled
to their fate as the actual murderer had been eliminated.
Another
great doctor fell to the bullets almost within the premises of the
hospital he worked in. Dr Farooq Ashai served as Medical
Superintendent and a head of the department in Bone and joint hospital
Barzulla. He was on his way to his hospital when he was shot at. A
talented man, a versatile doctor, a competent orthopedician, a loving
teacher was silenced forever. Who killed him, why and how- was never
revealed. His wife who intubated her own husband with the hope to revive
him in the very theatres where he had revived thousands –is waiting
even today for the justice to her husband. But will she ever get it in
this dark valley? And we all have maintained silence- out of fear or out
of callousness –regretfully so.
A
little less known than these doctors was a gentle Professor of surgey
at SMHS hospital Dr. MS Malik. The humble Professor was crushed by
Forces vehicle in Lal Chowk. No probes, no punishments and no inquiries.
They were not bothered and we too continued with our lives.
Another
doctor who dared to enter into the world of politics –Dr.Lone was
mysteriously killed to satisfy someone’s thirst for a doctor’s
blood. His friends in political circles never asked for a probe into
his death. Here too a doctor was a victim.
Well a
survivor she is-thankfully , Dr. Girja Dhar one of the boldest
principals of GMC Srinagar who held it together when it was all set to
be doomed, faced a shower of bullets - a horrifying incident that went
unaccounted, un-probed. The attempt on the life of a high profile
public servant did not evoke a condemnation from any quarter.
Doctors
have borne the odds, suffered but delivered amidst crises in this
conflict zone. But these witnesses’ of genocides are being hit and no
one it seems is bothered. From
Dr.Guru to
Dr.Ashai, Dr.Malik to
Dr. Sheikh Jalal-these
were the doctors who stayed back in trouble torn valley to treat
patients. Their families had invested in them and their patients had
trust in them. Why won’t someone tell us why they were killed?
What
about the national and international health organizations and
associations? These agencies busy with celebrating Malala days are
maintaining a criminal silence over the death of our Messiah’s-Why?
It
is a pain to be born in Kashmir-and more painful to be a practicing
doctor witnessing death in all forms. The stress under which a doctor
works here is tortuous and the risk to life and honor is tremendous.
If a doctor braving it all cannot be protected-then where should doctors
seek asylum and where will the poor patients go?
This
may not be the entire tale of doctors working in Kashmir and dying at
the hands of unknown and unidentified men-I hope to talk more
elaborately in my book “Whiteman in Dark”-till then I dare to condemn
the attacks on life and honor of doctors of Kashmir
(Greater Kashmir)
