Shaken but still focused on joining the army, a few of the 13 protesters, who were injured in ‘police firing’ amid the Secunderabad railway station violence and are undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital, are worried that the injuries might come in the way of their recruitment dreams.
They have been asking doctors if they would be able to run again — an important requirement to secure the job.
Of the 13 wounded, three have suffered injuries in the chest, one has a fracture in femur and around four or five have suffered minor injuries in the legs. Around eight of them are likely to be discharged in a day or two.
The friend of an injured aspirant from Warangal said that they have been working towards bagging a job as Soldier General Duty in the army. ”The first step is to pass in 1,600-metre running test. This is followed by physical test where height, weight, and other parameters are checked. The final step is the written test,” he said.
Given the importance of the running test, the aspirants are haunted by thoughts that the injuries would cut their dreams short. Gandhi Hospital superintendent M. Raja Rao said they will counsel the injured for anxiety and depression.