This is an archive article published on July 1, 2018
J&K clash: Doctor treats victims all day, then finds son dead
On Friday afternoon, the security forces had opened fire on protestors trying to disrupt a security cordon and search operation at Chatpora village to help some militants, holed up in the area, to escape.
On Friday afternoon, the security forces had opened fire on protestors trying to disrupt a security cordon and search operation at Chatpora village to help some militants, holed up in the area, to escape. (Representational image)
All through the day, Dr Abdul Gani Poswal had been tending to protesters injured in a clash with security forces in Pulwama’s Chatpora village at the casualty ward of Pulwama district hospital, unaware that his 16-year-old son was fatally injured in the same incident. It was only after he had reached his official quarters for a couple of hours rest on Friday that the heartbreaking news reached him. “The doctors tried their best to revive (Dr Poswal’s 16-year-old son) Faizan after he was referred to the district hospital from the Rajpora community health centre (CHC), but could not,” Medical Superintendent of the district hospital Dr Rashid Parra told The Sunday Express on Saturday.
“For the whole day, he (Dr Poswal) was in the casualty ward treating the injured patients brought to the hospital… He had left for his (official) residence around 4 pm (on Friday) and soon after that we received the body of his son,” Dr Parra added.
On Friday afternoon, the security forces had opened fire on protestors trying to disrupt a security cordon and search operation at Chatpora village to help some militants, holed up in the area, to escape. The Class X student, a native of Gosannad Ludhow village, had also travelled to the village to join the protesters after the encounter started.
While over a dozen protestors were injured — most of them were hit by pellets — Faizan was hit by a bullet in his chest. He succumbed before he could be taken to Pulwama district hospital, where his father was posted.
One militant was gunned down by the security forces in the encounter, while two others managed to esacape. On Friday, police had claimed that three militants had been eliminated. As the hospital staff broke the news to Dr Poswal, the heartbroken father “wrapped a sheet over his son’s body and broke down”, sources said. Thousands of people from different parts of Pulwama had streamed into Gosannad Ludhow village of Pulwama on Saturday to attend the funeral of the boy.
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter.
Expertise and Experience
Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development.
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor.
Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans:
Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance.
Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population.
Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley.
Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More