Suhail Khan
Srinagar: Poverty-stricken family in north Kashmir’s Frontier district went into deep shock on Tuesday after their lone supporter lost his battle with life during treatment for rabies at a hospital in Kashmir’s summer capital.
Mehraj-ul-Din Gujjar son of Shamsuddin Gujjer who hailed from the far-flung area of Kashmir’s Kapur was brought to the Srinagar hospital 20 days ago after stray dogs strike hit Handwara village in which he along with two kids became victims.
SKIMS Srinagar after being admitted there for battling his life for 20 days, lost hope of survival on Tuesday evening.
“We tried hard but we were unable to save our patriarch,” said the wife of the deceased in a helpless manner sitting along with her 7 minor children with tears rolling down from her eyes.
Lump in her throat with the mourning of her husband she said who will take care of us now, how can we survive now, we are helpless.
Fayaz Gujjer a relative of deceased in a chat with Kashmir Despatch said He had been on life support after his face and skull were bitten off by a pack of stray dogs last month, died on Tuesday evening due to a flesh-eating infection and multi-organ failure.
A doctor at SKIMS told Kashmir Despatch we tried our best to provide quality treatment but unfortunately, due to the infection spreading he couldn’t survive.
The doctor said Necrotizing fasciitis, commonly known as flesh-eating disease, is a rare and serious bacterial infection that can progress rapidly. It can occur if a bacterial infection enters a break in the skin as a result of trauma or surgery.
Pertinent to mention here the number of people who have died due to rabies encephalitis and canine attacks is continuously increasing in the Kashmir region.
There is an immediate need to control the population of stray dogs as early as possible or we would continue to see deaths and misery due to canine attacks in this northern region of Kashmir. It is to be decided whether to kill them or lock them up somewhere away from the region immediately, but we don’t have time to wait for their population to end through sterilization questions general public.
