Pellet terror: Facing permanent loss of sight, baby Hibba sent home
Srinagar: Yet to turn two and so far the youngest victim falling prey to the ‘murderous’ pellets in Kashmir, baby Hibba was on Monday discharged from SMHS hospital in Srinagar. She is to be brought for the follow-up on Saturday, more likely to undergo a surgery.
In the lap of her uncle, Hibba—of 20 months of age—does not know what has happened to her. She might be feeling a blurred vision in her left eye. The pain that she has been withering in since Sunday might have doused down, but she looks pale and in shock. Hibba’s face paints the trauma that she underwent, continuously staring at other patients in the ward, ironically, all of them being pellet hit.
Her father, Nisar Ahmad, a resident of Kapran Shopian, narrates the ordeal of how the deadly pellets hit his daughter and devastated the entire family, with her mother not bearing to have a glimpse of her daughter.
“Hibba was with her mother, and in the meantime, clashes broke out in the area, following the culmination of the encounter. Forces fired tear smoke shells and it became unbearable to stay indoors, my wife took Hibba and tried to venture out, what followed is in front of you,” said Nisar.
The pellets that were fired, when her mother moved outside, hit Hibba, seeing it coming, her mother, in a flash, tried to save her, by putting her hand on the eyes of her daughter, but fate had something else in store, Hibba was hit in left eye, while her mother also sustained injuries on her hand.
“My wife tried her best to save Hibba when the pellets were fired, but to no avail, Hibba was hit in the eye and my wife also sustained bruises in her hand,” said Hibba’s father who is a labourer by profession.
After initial treatment, the doctors have discharged Hibba on Monday and have told Nisar to take her home and come back for the follow-up on Saturday. With doctors putting it all unto Almighty, Nisar has been told that they will try their best to cure Hibba. With nothing in his hands, Nisar too felt it wise to leave the issue to God.
“We are collecting our things. Doctors told us to take Hibba home, I will have to bring her back for the follow up on Saturday, let’s see what happens after that—she will have to undergo surgery more likely,” he said.
The doctors attending on Hibba said that they have ascertained the damage in her left eye and after few follow-ups, they will be preparing her for a surgery.
“As of now, we are sending her home, she will be back by Saturday for the follow-up, after that we will see what needs to be done. There might be a need to operate on her. We will do whatever we can, rest is up to Allah,” a doctor said.
Irfan Tramboo
