Bharat Bhushan
JAMMU, Oct 13: It was surely the blackest day for Somi and his family when he lost his arms and a foot in a bomb blast just outside his residence at Kalri, about 10 km from here near Kot-Bhalwal, on January 23, 2001, when he was 14.
He had instantly lost his arms, right foot and a portion of the left thigh muscle in the explosion that went off directly underneath him and almost killed him. "As I somersaulted through the air, I watched my arms fly off," he said.
Somi landed back in the blast crater, but despite the grievous injuries he had sustained, he remained conscious.
Two days before the explosion, i.e. on January 21, army had gunned down six Pakistani militants in an encounter at Tumber Khoo in the neighbourhood of Kalri. The grenade, that maimed Somi, had remained unexploded for two days after it was fired either by the troops, or the militants. Several village houses were hit by bullets on the day of the encounter.
Life has been very hard for him after he survived the three-limb amputation. His mother fed him and also cleaned him after he passed stool. He cannot even unbutton his pants to pass urine and needs help to do such personal works. His mother did all this for him till he got married over an year back.
Somi, now 26, last year married Bholi Devi - a divorcee - who has a nine-year-old boy from the first marriage. The boy too lives with the couple.
His family agreed for the marriage only after Bholi gave her consent to look after him and do the works which his mother had been doing for him earlier.
Though theirs is a marriage solemnised for different reasons, as husband-wife, they are leading a happy life. Since their marriage, she has been by his side every step of the way.
But the tragic memories of the fateful day still haunt him. He had filled sand in a bag and was about to lift it to carry it home when the explosion was caused by the bomb which was lying in the sand and had remained unexploded. His father Madan Lal, who was nearing the sand heap to fill another bag, was too wounded.
The father-son duo were admitted to the GMCH here. While the Government had released Rs 75,000 for their treatment, the expenditure on medical bills had crossed Rs one lakh, said Somi.
His astounding recovery is a testament to the unwavering support of his family and friends.
Madan is a labourer by profession and the family has to work hard to make both ends meet. He has four more sons, who are living separately, but Somi and his wife live with him.
Somi said since the family did not have any permanent source of income, he was worried how he would spend rest of his life when his father was not around to look after him.
He said the Government could help him by providing him a job on humanitarian grounds. "I do not have hands to write but I can do the job of a watchman in any Government department," he added.
Somi was in 7th class when his limbs were amputated in the blast. In the absence of hands, he had to abandon his studies.
But he has developed the art of writing his name and putting signatures with the help of his mouth and the amputated limbs.
He made an appeal to the Chief Minister and the State Governor to provide him a job so that he could lead rest of his life with honour and dignity. "A job for me means the securing of my bread and butter," he added, saying in a touching voice that he was unable to run a shop, or do any other business activity on his own.
He does not have money to plan for his future. After the blast wounded him, some villagers had raised money for him but that was never given to him, Somi said. |
