Pellet victims protest in Srinagar
Pellet victims Monday staged a protest in Srinagar. They demanded a ban on use of pellet guns by forces in Kashmir and urged society to take note of their plight and help them.
“These weapons have killed, blinded and injured thousands of people In January this year, the Jammu and Kashmir state government admitted in the state legislative assembly that 6,221 persons received pellet gun injuries, including 782 eye injuries, between July 2016 and February 2017. The actual figures are likely to be even higher,” Amnesty International recently wrote in a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, urging him to raise the issue during his visit to India.
The victims who staged a protest at Press Enclave also said society has now a different attitude towards them. “It is because they feel that we have taken compensation and jobs. This is not true. Around twelve people have been given jobs by the government. We are over 1200 victims,” said Wani, adding “we want society to help us”.
Protesting pellet victims said at the time when government is not recognizing them as “disabled”, they have been left with no option than to seek help from the society they live in.
