SRINAGAR: Grappling with a financial crunch, a 28-year-old car dealer in South Kashmir’s Qazigund has put one of his kidneys on sale to repay his debt of around Rs 91 lakh.
Sabzar Ahmad Khan, a resident of Nussu village in Qazigund of Kulgam district, published an advertisement, “kidney for sale”, in a local daily on Monday.
Besides selling and buying old cars, Khan is a government- registered contractor. But he suffered huge economic losses following two lockdowns in the Valley — first, at the time of the abrogation of Article 370 and then, after the outbreak of COVID — leading to piling up of liabilities. The two lockdowns have badly hit the locals traders and businessmen in Kashmir.
Khan, who got married last year, is now looking for buyers for the kidney to clear the debts.
“I have lost everything and have no money left to pay off the debts. I request anyone in need of a kidney to contact me,” reads the advertisement.Speaking to this newspaper, Khan, the sole bread earner of the family of six including his parents, wife, young brother and sister, said: “I have a liability of Rs 91 lakh. I owe Rs 61 lakh to the bank and Rs 30 lakh to people (creditors).”
Khan said he had informed his all family members that he was going to sell off his kidney to clear some debt.
According to Khan, he is now at home and has confined himself to home only as he cannot face the people (creditors). “My younger brother is working as a labourer to make the two ends of the family meet.”
“This is final. I am going to sell the kidney and I have convinced my parents and wife also,” he said.
Asked whether he received any calls from people to buy his kidney, Khan said, “I received a few calls today from the prospective buyers, who wanted to purchase my kidney. One of the callers offered Rs 20 lakh and another Rs 25 lakh. I will be holding further discussions with the parties to get the best offer.”
The out-of-job businessman said he knows that he cannot get Rs 91 lakh from selling his kidney but hopes he can at least raise funds to clear some liabilities so that he can move out from his house with dignity and honour.
In the meantime, there is some hope for the south Kashmir family as some neighbours have pitched in to support of them.
Similar case reported in the Valley in May
This is not the first time such case has been reported in the Kashmir Valley. In May, Manzoor Ahmad and Muhammad Ayub — brothers from Kawoosa Bagh, Bohri Kadal — approached lawyers inside the Sadder Court for an affidavit seeking to sell kidneys.
Unaware of the procedure for organ donation, he insisted upon the lawyers to prepare affidavit.