<p>A victim and star witness of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case, Devika Rotawan is on the verge of being homeless. She has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking a home under schemes meant for the economically weaker sections.</p>.<p>Devika had testified against Pakistani fidayeen Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist to be captured alive by the Mumbai Police during the attacks on 26-29 November 2008. Kasab was hanged to death on 21 November 2012.</p>.<p>The petition is filed by counsel Utsav Bains and is expected to be listed for hearing this week.</p>.<p>Devika, then aged 9, was waiting at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus on the 28 November, along with her father Natwarlal and brother Jayesh, to catch a train to Pune, when Kasab and Abu Ismail, the leader of the fidayeen group, fired from AK-47s and threw hand-grenades. She suffered gunshot wounds.</p>.<p>Later, representatives of the Centre and Maharashtra government assured to provide them home under the EWS scheme on compassionate grounds.</p>.<p>12 years later, a 21-year-old Devika and her family are facing immense hardships. “Her father is now 60 while her mother had passed away before the incident. She has been diagnosed with tuberculosis while her brother has a problem in his backbone and has been operated upon thrice,” the petition states.</p>.<p>Devika had passed 12th standard but could not pursue further education because of financial constraints.</p>.<p>She is now staying in a chawl in Bandra. To add to the troubles, their landlord is now threatening to throw out the family for not paying the rent. </p>.<p>In the past, she made futile appeals to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister and only last month, on July 19, she made another representation to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, seeking a house under the EWS quota, but has got no response.</p>.<p>“She went through 6 surgical operations and was bedridden for almost 6 months. During her time in the hospital, many government officials promised her and her family residential accommodation under EWS Scheme and provision for her educational expenses. During the trial of Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, she was the star eye-witness to testify against him and the same was heavily relied upon by the Sessions Judge in convicting him. The government officials assured the family of the EWS plot and educational expenditure once Mohammed Kasab was convicted,” Bains said.</p>
<p>A victim and star witness of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case, Devika Rotawan is on the verge of being homeless. She has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking a home under schemes meant for the economically weaker sections.</p>.<p>Devika had testified against Pakistani fidayeen Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist to be captured alive by the Mumbai Police during the attacks on 26-29 November 2008. Kasab was hanged to death on 21 November 2012.</p>.<p>The petition is filed by counsel Utsav Bains and is expected to be listed for hearing this week.</p>.<p>Devika, then aged 9, was waiting at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus on the 28 November, along with her father Natwarlal and brother Jayesh, to catch a train to Pune, when Kasab and Abu Ismail, the leader of the fidayeen group, fired from AK-47s and threw hand-grenades. She suffered gunshot wounds.</p>.<p>Later, representatives of the Centre and Maharashtra government assured to provide them home under the EWS scheme on compassionate grounds.</p>.<p>12 years later, a 21-year-old Devika and her family are facing immense hardships. “Her father is now 60 while her mother had passed away before the incident. She has been diagnosed with tuberculosis while her brother has a problem in his backbone and has been operated upon thrice,” the petition states.</p>.<p>Devika had passed 12th standard but could not pursue further education because of financial constraints.</p>.<p>She is now staying in a chawl in Bandra. To add to the troubles, their landlord is now threatening to throw out the family for not paying the rent. </p>.<p>In the past, she made futile appeals to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister and only last month, on July 19, she made another representation to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, seeking a house under the EWS quota, but has got no response.</p>.<p>“She went through 6 surgical operations and was bedridden for almost 6 months. During her time in the hospital, many government officials promised her and her family residential accommodation under EWS Scheme and provision for her educational expenses. During the trial of Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, she was the star eye-witness to testify against him and the same was heavily relied upon by the Sessions Judge in convicting him. The government officials assured the family of the EWS plot and educational expenditure once Mohammed Kasab was convicted,” Bains said.</p>
