For 24 year old Abdur Rahman of Bajardiha in Varanasi, the day of 11th March, 2009 was a terrible nightmare that forever changed his life. Gross negligence of police during a field operation almost killed Rahman, when he was caught in the stray firing of cops. Although Rahman survived, bullet wounds in his legs and genitals left him crippled. But what further adds to his woes is the fact that those responsible for his plight are still free and none of the government agencies have shelved out a single penny for Rahman's treatment and rehabilitation.
On 11th March, 2009 at about 11:30am, Abdur Rahman who lives in Sarai Surajan, Bajardiha, Varanasi along with his four brothers and two sisters was visiting his uncle who lives in Gosia Mosque. As Abdur Rahman was entering the lane before the mosque, police started firing and bullets hit him on his right leg and abdomen area.
Critically wounded, Rahman was rushed to a government hospital in Kabir Chaura. Despite tremendous blood loss, Rahman survived. When he regained consciousness, he came to know of the circumstances under which he was hurt. Abdur had been erronously shot by police in an incident of un-announced firing near Kolhua Mosque in an attempt to control the communal violence which had broken out there.
For Rahman, meeting the costs of treatment from his injury was a major struggle. Coming form a poor family, he had no money. His neighbours contributed towards his treatment. This incident was a major blow for Abdur and his family members. Formerly a fine weaver of Vanarasi saris, Rahman could no longer work on the yarn. His dream of leading a dignified and happy life has been shattered, for he was now a cripple with a bullet injury in his leg.
Abdur says, "I didn't receive any monetary help from the Government. And neither did the people involved receive any punishment. I want to adopt legal procedures because justice is for everyone.’’ Besides Abdur, there were eight people who were injured and two of them expired.
At present Abdur is leading the life of a handicap. On 4th Feb, 2010, Abdur went to Sir Sunder Lal Hospital of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) where the doctors told him that he has to be treated for a broken bone. The doctors told him that infection in his leg was continuing and the bullet injury was not healing. The doctors said that Rs one lakh is required for his treatment which is a big amount for him. At present, he is being treated under Dr Shakeel.
Though there is some improvement in his condition, Abdur is dependent on others for food. However, the poverty stricken family is not able to spend any amount on him, and he is often even denied food. For a man moving around on clutches, commuting to hospital on his own becomes a nightmare for none in the family is ready to accompany him. For a family struggling to secure two meals a day, a crippled Rahman is an object of sympathy but livelihood demands prevent them from giving him needed support. "Earlier I used to get annoyed when people asked me 'How are you, Abdur?' but now I am used to it,’’ he says.
Amidst his devastated life, Rahman now wants his plight to be shared with people at large, and to bring the culprits to justice, so that no one else needs suffer from a similar fate.
The testimony written in english by the alternate media fellow Mr. Ashish Awasthi under the RCT -PVCHR joint collaborative project "Promoting psycho –legal framework to reduce torture and organized violence in India"
