26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack Survivor Moves Bombay High Court Seeking Allotment Of Residence

The youngest survivor of the 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attacks, Devika Rotawan, has once again approached the Bombay High Court seeking allotment of a residential premises.

Rotawan had earlier approached the High Court in 2020. The court had disposed of her petition with directions to the State government to consider her application.

As the State rejected Rotawan's plea, she re-approached the court, last month.

On Thursday, Rotawan plea came up for hearing before a division bench of Justices S V Gangapurwala and M S Karnik.

Additional government pleader Jyoti Chavan, for the State government, said that pursuant to the October 2020 order, compensation of Rs 13.26 lakh was already given to Rotawan on compassionate grounds.

Advocate R Bubna, appearing for the Union government, submitted that Rotawan was given compensation of Rs 10 lakh after the attacks as per government policy. Rotawan didn't have the 'right' to more money.

The court however adjourned the matter to October 12, since Rotawan's lawyer wasn't present for the hearing.

Rotawan was only nine years old at the time of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. She was at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station along with her father and brother, when two of the ten Pakistani terrorists opened fire.

She was shot in the leg during the incident and her brother and father also sustained injuries, she said. Because of their injuries the father and brother were unable to work and she can't contribute owing to her own injuries.

The young woman lastly said that after the attacks, several Central and state government officials had visited her house and assured them accommodation under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota.