26/11 Mumbai terror attacks: The 8-yr-old girl who sealed Kasab's fate

It was considered the most clinching evidence in the entire trial of the Mumbai terror strikes of November 26 2008 that ensured the noose for the sole surviving terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab of the 10 who wreaked unprecedented mayhem in the countrys commercial capital for nearly 60 hoursThe testimony was provided by a minor Mumbai girl Devika N Rotawan 8 then who took a bullet in the leg when Kasab and his associate opened fire inside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus building that fateful nightMeet Devika Rotawan This brave girl was 9 yrs old when she identified terrorist Kasab in court after 2611 attacks She showed me her Bullet wound amp I heard her inspiring story Went to her house in Bandra East to give her a cheque when I found out about her financial struggle pictwittercomFVKcYps0wHmdash Zeeshan Siddique zeeshan_iyc September 14 2020She along with her father Natwarlal was waiting to catch a train to Pune to meet her brother Bharat 33Suddenly we heard some gunshots and loud booming sounds people shrieking crying running helterskelter We were caught in the melee and the complete chaos As we tried to escape I stumbled felt a numbing pain and blood oozing from my leg I realized that I had been shot I collapsed and was unconscious till the next day Devika now 21 said recalling the chilling night of horror at the terminusSomehow she was rushed to the Sir JJ Hospital nearby where the next day she underwent a surgery to remove the AK47 bullet lodged in her right legOver the next six months there were other surgeries on her leg and in the following three years it came to 6 operations which finally made her mobile and independentShe was very small I lost my wife Sarika in 2006 and have two other sons We cared for her despite great odds and little help coming for her education or future Natwarlal Rotawan told IANSThose three years were badhellip I initially shifted to my native Sumerpur village in Pali district Rajasthan where my father brothers and other relatives cared for me Soon we had to return for the court cases Devika saidBoth daughter and father were not only the survivors of the 2611 strikes but also the prime prosecution witnesses and it was finally their clinching evidence in their court sojourns in June 2009 that hammered the proverbial lsquolast nail in Kasabs coffinAfter exhausting all legal remedies under the Indian judicial system Kasab was hanged November 21 2012 but Devika had sacrificed her bubbly childhood adolescence and next month will turn a 22yearold woman but still struggling on all frontsShe somehow managed to complete her schooling from IES New English High School Bandra east limped her way to complete HSC from Siddharth College Churchgate and is now pursuing her FYBA from Chetana College in BandraInitially we got around Rs 350 lakh as compensation besides a medical aid of Rs 10 lakhhellip We were promised a house under the EWS quota which has yet to materialize said NatwarlalWe have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi successive governments in Maharashtra Modiji talks about lsquoBeti Bachao Beti Padhao What about Devika My daughter challenged terrorists and Pakistan for our country But we can only get to hear the PMs empty promises he added bitterlyHer brothers Bharat 33 and Jayesh 26 recall the familys onerous task of tending to their star kidsister often in deep pain but restlessIt involved taking her to hospitals at regular intervals coaxing her to take medical doses the trips to the high security Special Court in Arthur Road Central Jail for the trial and her depositions meeting the lawyers or police going to government departments for her compensation admission to colleges and other worksThe police helped us immensely we are grateful to them Many times they even carried little Devika in their arms for the court hearings They felt our pain as they had lost many of their colleagues But the apathy of the politicians saddened us Natwarlal saidOn her future plans Devika is firm on cracking the civil services to become an IPS officer Its my dream for 12 years I have not forgotten my tribulations That would mean I have forgiven those terrorists I will don the uniform and chase terror out of the country she adds softly but resolutely hinting at nerves of steel hiding her velvety demeanourMy daughter has shown the country what she is capable of She has decided to dedicate her life for the nationhellip Now the government and political leaders must keep their promises Natwarlal exhortedKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest newsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever