'Don't want to die any more'

Says muscular dystrophy patient Mehfooz Ahmed, who had filed euthanasia plea in 2006

The Supreme Court's ruling rejecting the mercy killing plea made on behalf of u00a0Aruna Shanbaug, has u00a0taught others in a similar condition the value of life.

One of them is Mehfooz Ahmed (32), who had filed a petition in the Supreme Court in 2006 seeking permission to die.


Mehfooz Ahmed too had filed a petition in the Supreme Court in 2006 seeking permission to die

Suffering from muscular dystrophy, an ailment wherein the muscles waste away, causing the patient to be immobile and bedridden, Ahmed, a resident of the Dharavi slums, said, "I thought that death was the only solution but the KEM case and these four years have tought me the importance of life and I want to live."
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At present, Ahmed has to depend on others else to help him as he cannot walk and lies in bed rotting away slowly.

"Even I don't want mercy killing," Ahmed said, adding that he and his two sisters Khurshid and Ruksana Banu suffering from the same disorder had filed the petition.

However, even while the case remains pending in the court of law, Khurshid and Ruksana lost their battle for life last year. "Both my sisters died of the disease but now I don't want to die."

Ahmed's plight had come to the fore when a group of students from KC college had made a documentary called Silent Cries, exploring how euthanasia could be a solution for those who have been suffering medically.

"We were upset when Mehfooz told us that he wants euthanasia. But I am happy that he has changed his mind," said, Priyanka Kothari, student of KC college, part of the team that made the documentary.

Silent Cries

Khuushbu Gianani, Kinjal Tailor, Bhumika Shah, Maansi Aurora and Kothari, third year Bachelor of Mass u00a0Media students of KC College spent 45 days in the life of Ahmed and Aruna u00a0Shanbuag and made the documentary for a class project.

The students tried to avoid taking a stand in the project but said later that they realised that life was too precious to take.