Published on 04:48 PM, August 04, 2017

Indian doctors operate on Siddiqur’s eye

Titumir college student Siddiqur Rahman, whose eyes were damaged in “police excess” during a demonstration in Shahbagh on July 20. File photo

Indian doctors have operated on the eyes of Siddiqur Rahman, the college student who now has slim chances of regaining complete vision since he met police action at Shahbagh.

“His left eye surgery was completed around 6:30pm,” Dr Zahidul Ahsan Menon, an assistant professor at National Institute of Opthalmology who is accompanying him, told The Daily Star.

Also read: Batons, teargas not enough

“He is now physically well,” he said.

Senior retina specialist Dr Lingam Gopal took Siddiqur to surgery on his left eye, the only eye he has the chance of regaining, around 3:30pm. The operation began a short while after.

Read more: Siddiqur's Eyesight: Little hope of recovery

Dr Lingam had said he saw little hope of Siddiqur getting his eyesight back even if a surgery was conducted. But he left it up to Siddiqur to take a decision about the operation.

Titumir College student Siddiqur was hurt in his eyes, allegedly by a tear gas canister shot by police at close range, when college students were demonstrating at Shahbagh for examination schedules.

Read also: The incident could have been averted

Several videos have ascertained the police action, which has now led to the complete vision loss of Siddiqur’s right eye, despite authorities’ repeated denial about the incident.

The government is bearing Siddiqur's medical costs.

He was taken to Sankara Nethralaya Institute on July 27.