Mumbai doctors brought in to treat pellet injuries performed 46 eye surgeries in Kashmir in 3 days
Dr Sundaram Natarajan, who headed the three-member team of ophthalmologists, said it was first time in his career that he had seen eye injuries of this scale.
As many as 46 eye surgeries were performed in a Srinagar hospital by three doctors from Mumbai, along with local surgeons, in the past three days. The specialists from Mumbai's Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital were brought in to assist Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital with treating pellet injuries among protesters in the state, PTI reported.
After Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's meeting with the ophthalmologists from Mumbai, a spokesperson said, "In all, 58 such surgeries have been conducted in the last few days, including 46 by the team led by Dr Sundaram Natarajan in the last three days."
According to the head of the ophthalmology department of Srinagar's Government Medical College, Dr Tariq Qureshi, five operation theatres were being used only for eye surgeries. Officials said that since July 8, when Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was gunned down in an encounter, as many as 210 patients were admitted to SMHS Hospital with pellet injuries in their eyes, The Indian Express reported.
Dr Natarajan said 110 individuals had to undergo vitreous retina surgeries because of pellet injuries in their eyes. "The problem of injury is that somewhere, the pellet has torn the eye and the inside matter has come out. It is like shooting a tomato, and when its contents come out, you can't do anything," he said, adding that a few patients a more complex detachment and several had corneal injuries.
The ophthalmologist further said that it was first time in his career that he was witnessing eye injuries in these high numbers. So far, at least 207 people have been hit by pellets in their eyes in the clashed in Kashmir, and more than 500 have sustained injuries in other parts of their bodies as a result of these guns, according to Greater Kashmir.
The use of pellet guns, or pump-action guns, by security forces for crowd control in Jammu and Kashmir has been widely criticised. The government has set up a seven-member team to look for alternatives to these guns, which the Central Reserve Police Police that is deployed to maintain law and order in Kashmir, has maintained are the most "least lethal" options.
