Dead cop’s wife, Injured militant battling for life in same ICU

A woman who tried to save her husband—she couldn’t—from suspected militants and a militant who sustained a serious bullet injury last evening are critical at the ICU of SKIMS, Soura.
Fareeda Bano’s husband Mushtaq Ahmad Sheikh, a special police officer, was killed by suspected militants at his home in Bijbehara. In her attempt to save him, 45-year-old Fareeda sustained critical injuries to her lung and spinal cord.
“Her lower limbs are paralysed due to spine injury,” said a doctor attending to her.
The militant, Asif Ashraf Malik, 20, who was shot at by government forces in Shopian last evening, has suffered bullet injury in his liver and other internal organs including intestine, leading to internal bleeding.
“We repaired the tears in the internal organs during the overnight surgery that went on till 5:30 am,” said a doctor.
Since early morning, family members of both the injured persons have been anxiously waiting outside the ICU to hear from the doctors about their condition.
Rahti Begum, grandmother of Asif, pleaded with the policemen guarding the entrance to the ICU, to let her in.
“Last time I saw sahba (Asif) was seven months ago. Let me see his face once,” she wailed.
Next to Rahti, relatives of Fareeda are inconsolable.
“Nobody should go through what we have suffered,” said one of Fareeda’s relatives, adding the couple didn’t have any child.
Joint medical superintendent SKIMS Dr Farooq Jan said both the injured have been taken off the ventilator.
“She (Fareeda) is stable now. Asif also seems to be doing well,” he said. A doctor said that as long as the duo is in the ICU, it means their condition is critical.