26/11 Survivor Moves Bombay High Court Seeking Home, Education Assistance

One of the youngest survivors of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks has petitioned the Bombay High Court, seeking a direction to the Maharashtra government to allot residential premises for her impoverished family and also to make provision for her undergraduate education.

Devika Rotawan (21), an eyewitness to the carnage that took place nearly 12 years ago, filed the petition on August 21, expressing apprehension that her family would be rendered homeless as they have not been able to pay monthly rent for their room owing to acute financial constraints.

Rotawan was nine years old at the time of the November 26, 2008, terror attacks at multiple locations in the city by a group of Pakistani terrorists. On that day, she was at the Mumbai CSMT railway station, one of the attack sites, along with her father and brother.

The plea said Rotawan suffered a bullet injury on her leg, while her father and brother, too, were sustained wounds. Because of several morbidities, it was not possible for her father and brother to earn a livelihood.

Rotawan, in her petition, said that after the attacks several Central and state government officials had visited her house and assured to provide them accommodation under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota.

The officials, she claimed in her petition, also assured to make adequate arrangements for her education and monetary assistance for her and her family's medical treatment.

The petition further said she was a key eyewitness in the trial held against the lone captured terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

"In 2009, the petitioner approached the Maharashtra government seeking assistance but in vain, the plea said.

At present, there is no law or policy which provides rehabilitative measures for victims of such terror attacks. Due to the absence of such a law, the need of victims for rehabilitation remains unattended, the petition said.

Rotawan has sought a direction to the state government to provide her accommodation under the EWS quota and also financial assistance for her education. The plea is likely to be heard next week.