Disabled Boy's Death Exposes Our Hollowness Aa A Society- Perhaps Is A Reminder Call For Kashmir
Mir Junaid
The pages of history if turned show Kashmir’s love and care, a sense of belonging and compassion for each other, however, we may have moved away from our roots.
In one such incident, which depicts our hollowness from top to bottom of our social hierarchy, a 15-year-old handicapped boy, Suhaib Ahmed from Srinagar lost his life allegedly due to carelessness of Jammu Kashmir Board of School Education and Health department officials.
Suhaib who was a student of New Era Public School in Srinagar and was writing his exams in Government Higher Secondary Bemina died because of the fault of many people.
A family member speaking to The Kashmiriyat said that at the age of 10 Suhaib lost his muscle movement control, after which he could no longer move his muscles.
Suhaib, as per the family member who was appearing in the ongoing Class 10 exams, was to appear in the Final examination of the 10th class, This was his third paper, He had already given two papers.
Initially the officials of JKBOSE, the family alleges, denied that Suhaib can be provided any helpers, and finally upon insisting, the officials of JKBOSE asked them to approach the medical board.
“Suhaib was unable to write properly, he faced a lot of difficulties writing the exam, after which the family approached JKBOSE where the family was informed to get a Medical board certificate from Jawahar Nagar,” the family member told The Kashmiriyat.
As the family reached the Medical board office, Suhaib and his mother waited in the vehicle, while his sister Sumaiya Irshad Khan waited in the queue for her turn to get the certifcate.
“I waited for an hour and as soon as my turn came, the person in charge shouted who was Irshad, i said he was my brother, the person threw away the prescription and asked me to wait, when we had already been waiting for an hour,” his sister told.
A lady also pushed her away, saying that ‘Get away, it is covid time,’ she was perhaps a doctor, the sister said. “I waited despite anything thinking, my brother would write the exams and i will bear any insult for Suhaib, my brother.”
The concept of honesty and truthfulness is almost dead in our fast ‘growing’ society and unreason and stupidity has taken birth in our daily life. The corruption, Sifarish, inefficiency, hypocrisy, selfishness, jealousy, hatred and bigotry have hollowed our very deep roots.
When his turn finally arrived, the sister asked for the assistance of another man by the name of Ghulam Hassan for help to take Suhaib out of the car, as the office was on the second floor, he did not help though, he was busy talking something with others.
“I sought their help, and literally begged them for help, however, they did not help for many hours, and when they finally came out, he had fallen unconscious, nobody still touched him,” the sister said.
The sister tried to ask for help and nobody did, even when there were dozens of people around, she said, adding, “Finally it was some fruit vendors who helped us rush away the boy to the hospital.”
The family also alleged that the officials of JKBOSE did not tell them properly about the procedure of getting a helper for Suhaib.
Suhaib, upon reaching the hospital, was declared brought dead, upon his arrival at the hospital. He complained of severe suffocation to his family.
“Suhaib from Chanapora Srinagar was the lone boy in his family, His death is a collective shame of our society, These Small men in big offices are responsible for his death,” one of his friends said.
The family alleged that they ran in a rush to the hospital and forgot the belongings of Sameer at the office, after that too, the officers posted in the medical board office are enjoying impunity.
“They did not care to respond properly after killing my brother, they asked me rudely to come back and take my belongings on the next tuesday,” Sumaiya alleged.
The Kashmiriyat dialed the Chief Medical officer of Srinagar constantly who bothered to not answer despite several attempts.
Dr. Samir Matoo, Director Health Services, Kashmir upon being contacted said that the issue has been brought to his notice and the department has launched an investigation into the incident.
“The CMO has ordered an inquiry into the incident and action will be taken against the culprits,” Dr. Sameer told The Kashmiriyat.
Disability Rights Activist Javed Ahmed Tak condemning the death said that the disabled persons in the society are facing a lot of problems and Suhaib’s death is an eye-opener to the society.
“We time and again approached the officials to provide helpers to the disabled children during exams, however, nothing has been done in this regard,” Javed said.
The conscience level is a deeply held moral principle which measures the honesty of one’s self and makes one feel to distinguish between right and wrong.
The deep-rooted malaise of Sifarish is the highest kind of corruption that society not only has adopted but feels a matter of honor to us.
We have created a division on rural-urban, sects, cultural and other baggage and spread hatred, mistrust, anger, bitterness, and suspicion even in Govt Institutions which we think is our personal fiefdom.
The hospitals are mainly run by junior non-specialist doctors while the senior doctors remain busy attending their private clinics. It has become virtually impossible to consult a specialist doctor in the Govt hospitals for a problem.