Khursheed’s Story: Kashmiri Jawan Who Took 8 Bullets In LeT Attack

His body was barely moving when I met Khursheed Ahmad, a head constable in CRPF, in the emergency ward of All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) hospital in Delhi. Ahmad was in ICU for 2 months after he was hit with 8 bullets in a militant attack in Pampore in Kashmir. On 25 June, when Ahmad with other CRPF jawans were returning after conducting shooting practices in Lethpura, 4 militants suddenly opened fire on them. Eight CRPF jawans died and 22 were injured in this militant attack.

41-year-old Ahmad has been serving nation for the past 23 years as a security personnel. Eight bullets have not shattered his courage, and he says will continue to fight for the country.

Thik hone ke baad main duty join karunga. Inn golio se nahi darta main, main STF main raha hu madam. Main kai IG, DIG ke saath gun man raha hu main. Abhi toh kuch bhi nahi hai srinagar main. Militancy pehle thi, goliya chalti thi peak par. Ab kya hai. Chaar goli maari tas tas aur bhaag gaye. (I will rejoin my duty after wounds heal. I am not scared of bullets. I was gunman of many IGs and DIGs. Kashmir is better today. Earlier, terrorism was at its peak.)  

Khursheed Ahmad, Head Constable, CRPF

Ahmad was hit with several bullets in his waist and shoulders, but he didn’t put down his gun. He continued his fight.

Mujhe 8 goli lag gayi thi tab tak. Lekin phir bhi main kam se kam ek ghante tak main ladta raha. Maine aawaz maari apne saath walo ko. Maine kaha koi hai. Koi nahi bola. Main chup ho gaya phir. Maine aise hi gaddan uthayi, maine socha ab kya karu. Mere saamne se militant aa raha tha. Maine fire karne ki koshish ki, mere haath ko goli lagi. (By then I was hit with 8 bullets. I continued fighting for at least one hour despite them. I called out to my fellow men, but there was no response. I lay down quietly. I didn’t know what to do. I could see a militant approaching me. I tried to fire, and another bullet hit my hand.) 

Khursheed Ahmad, Head Constable, CRPF

Ahmad’s village is in Kupwara district in Kashmir. His family says that Ahmad has the zeal to fight for the nation and he will continue doing so.

Haan bilkul jayega. Bol raha tha parso chacha agar main thik ho jau toh bata du un saalo ko jinhone mujh par firing ki. Maine kaha wo toh mare gaye, tu kya batayega. Yeh toh hai ki isme poora josh hai ki main apni duty join karu. (He will join his duty. Just two days ago he was telling me that once he gets well, he will kill all those militants who fired at him. I told him that those militants are dead. He is full of fervour and energy to serve the nation.) 

Khursheed Ahmad, Head Constable, CRPF

Though Ahmad has come out of the ICU, he is still struggling to recover from his wounds. According to the doctors, his lower spine has sustained major injuries because of which his body below the waist is not moving.

Kamar ke niche kaam nahi kar raha. Kamar par ghao ho rakha hai. Main chal nahi paa raha. (My body below the waist is not moving. I am unable to walk.) 

Khursheed Ahmad, Head Constable, CRPF

Doc kehte hai ki iske body ke andar goli ka koi hissa reh gaya hai jis karan MRI nahi kar paa rahe. Jis karan operation nahi kar paa rahe. Thik ho jaye toh wapas chal kar jayenge. Bus yehi hai. ( Doctors say bullet shrapnel was found in Ahmad’s body. Because of this, an MRI test cannot be conducted. Until the MRI is done, doctors can’t operate on his body. We hope that he can walk back to his house.) 

Khursheed Ahmad, Head Constable, CRPF

Are We Doing Enough For Our Soldiers?

Kehte hai ki desh ki jawano ki seva ki jati hai hospitalo main. Kehte hai ye hota hai dilli main, wo hota hai, kuch nahi hota hai. Paani ke liye bhi nahi poochte hai madam. Parso maine ek aadmi ko bola, mujhe bohot pyaas lagi hai, maine kaha ek dhakan pani de de, ek pharmacist ko, kehta hai mere pass time nahi hai. Hum desh ke sipahi hai. (People say that soldiers should be respected and given the best medical treatment. But nothing happens in this hospital. Two days ago I requested a pharmacist to give me some water, but he said he doesn’t have time. 

Khursheed Ahmad, Head Constable, CRPF

According to the doctors, Ahmad might face permanent disability.

Agar upar wale ne pao me dikkat bada di toh phir kya hai. Phir ghar par baithenge force ke nhi rahenge. Force main wahi hai jo khada hai. Main ghar chala jaunga, mujhe govt tankha deti rahegi. Main jab tak tha tab tak seva ki, jab seva ke kabil nahi raha toh ghar par baithna padega. (If my legs don’t work then I will have no option but to return home. One has to stand on his feet to to work as a security personnel. I will go home and survive on the salary. I served the nation until I could.)

Khursheed Ahmad, Head Constable, CRPF

Video Editor: Puneet Bhatia