Conflict

Advisor to Guv, SHRC order inquiry, detailed report on infant hit by pellet in Shopian clashes

IMAGE COURTESY: INDIAN EXPRESS

Srinagar: K Vijay Kumar, security advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said Tuesday that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident involving a pellet injury on the right eye of a 19-month-old baby girl, Hiba Jan that was fired by armed forces on November 25 in Shopian district of South Kashmir, Greater Kashmir reported.

Hiba suffered extensive damage due to the injury at their native village in Kapren-Batgund area in Shopian district, after the gunfight on Sunday when clashes erupted following the killing of six militants.

Quoting the victim’s mother, Indian Express reported that while clashes were going on in the area, the armed forces fired pellets. She said she was trying to move out of the house as intense tear gas shelling had caused breathing problems. She was holding Hiba in her arms when the pellets were fired, the report stated.

According to the IE report, The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has sought a detailed report from the JK police and the administration in the same matter.

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Quoting Kumar, GK reported that the incident was unfortunate and that during the inquiry, circumstances and other related factors will be investigated.

“I talked to the principal Government Medical College Srinagar and have asked her to provide the kid the best possible treatment,” Kumar said.

“I have been told she will undergo another intervention in coming days and things are being monitored.”

On Tuesday, the SHRC chief Justice (Rtd) Bilal Nazki issued a notice to the SSP Shopian and Deputy Commissioner(DC) Shopian on the petition filed by chairman International Forum for Justice and Human Rights Muhammad Ahsan Untoo.

Nazki confirmed that a report has been sought from the authorities, reported IE. “We have sought a report from both police and district administration and asked them to give their version of the events,” he said.

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In the petition, Untoo has prayed for a detailed status report regarding the case of pellet victim.

“It is therefore prayed that the Hon’ble commission may take cognizance of the matter and direct the respondents to furnish the detailed status report regarding the case of pellet victim and conduct the enquiry commission headed by SHRC investigation team who has been constituted in the meantime pending in the concerned officers. It is also prayed that the legal heirs of the victim may be provided compensation in favour of the blinded victim in the interest of justice,” the petition reads, as per the report.

Hiba, who has been discharged from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in Srinagar on Monday afternoon, is likely to go undergo another surgery on Wednesday.

SMHS doctors say the victim might lose the vision in the affected eye but any clarity about it will be known only after the next surgery, according to the IE report.

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