Abhijit Giri’s last memory of Nandigram is the sound of blazing guns and the sight of his assailants in khaki.

The 22-year-old was one of the Bhoomi Uchchhed Pratirodh Committee members at the receiving end of police bullets on March 14 a year ago.

Since then, cabin No. 24 of SSKM hospital’s Woodburn ward has been the young man’s home.

Abhijit, a resident of Kalicharanpur, took a bullet in his abdomen and another in his right arm at Gokulnagar.

“I was walking in a BUPC procession when the firing started. I tried to run but was hit by bullets and fell,” he said.

Bleeding, Abhijit hobbled across six kilometres to reach Sonachura. He was later taken to SSKM. (Telegraph picture shows Abhijit in his hospital bed)

Abhijit has had three surgeries. “He is unlikely to regain his earlier strength in his right arm,” a doctor said.

But Abhijit isn’t worried. He just wants to be home.

“Aami bari jete chai kintu kobe chhara pabo jaani na (I want to return home but don’t know when I will be discharged),” he said, brushing his hand against the steel plates fixed on his chest and arm.

“My parents and sisters often come to visit me but I miss home, the meals we had together, and my friends.”