Vasi (Navsari): Three fishermen from the coastal villages of Navsari district had become the first victims of Pakistani terrorists, who carried out the terror attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, after hijacking their fishing boat Kuber and reaching the megapolis. The families of these fishermen are in despair because they are yet to receive the compensation announced for terror attack victims by the governments though nine years have passed since the incident.
"Forget about the compensation, it took us eight years to get their death certificates. I spent thousands of rupees running from pillar to post to get compensation, but to no avail," Balwant's wife Damyanti (47) said. The rules say a person can be considered dead if he remains missing for seven years, but Gujarat government issued death certificates of the three fishermen in February 2017 only after a court order. Kasab, who was caught alive, had confessed to killing all the fishermen aboard Kuber.
Mukesh's grandmother Lakshmiben Rathod (85) said, "I go to do labour work because I need to earn to survive. I need just a bowl of rice in a day to stay alive. The walls and roof of my house can come down any day. I would have got them repaired had Mukesh been alive."
Natu's wife Dharmishtha (32), who works as a daily wager, earns Rs 200. "I have to raise my two kids. I try to earn enough to meet our expenses, but some time I have to borrow money. We have lost all hopes from the governments as many years have passed."
Navsari district collector Ravi Kumar Arora said, "Navsari district administration quickly completed paperwork after court's order to issue death certificates. We have done the required correspondences with the departments concerned and hopefully the families will get the compensation soon."
The families, who live in houses with damaged walls and roofs made of cement sheets in Vansi and Machhiwad villages of Navsari, have lost hope of receiving compensation after struggling for years to get it. They were hoping to get Rs 3 lakh from Gujarat government and Rs 5 lakh from Maharashtra government each as compensation which was offered to the victims of Mumbai terror attack.
Five fishermen were aboard Kuber when it was hijacked in the Arabian Sea by Ajmal Kasab and other Pakistani terrorists. Only the body of Amarsinh Solanki, captain of the boat from Valsad, was found on Mumbai coast. Ramesh Solanki of Junagadh; Natwar alias Natu Nanu Rathod; Mukesh Rathod and Balvant Tandel from Vasi and Machhiwad villages still remain missing.
"Forget about the compensation, it took us eight years to get their death certificates. I spent thousands of rupees running from pillar to post to get compensation, but to no avail," Balwant's wife Damyanti (47) said. The rules say a person can be considered dead if he remains missing for seven years, but Gujarat government issued death certificates of the three fishermen in February 2017 only after a court order. Kasab, who was caught alive, had confessed to killing all the fishermen aboard Kuber.
Mukesh's grandmother Lakshmiben Rathod (85) said, "I go to do labour work because I need to earn to survive. I need just a bowl of rice in a day to stay alive. The walls and roof of my house can come down any day. I would have got them repaired had Mukesh been alive."
Natu's wife Dharmishtha (32), who works as a daily wager, earns Rs 200. "I have to raise my two kids. I try to earn enough to meet our expenses, but some time I have to borrow money. We have lost all hopes from the governments as many years have passed."
Navsari district collector Ravi Kumar Arora said, "Navsari district administration quickly completed paperwork after court's order to issue death certificates. We have done the required correspondences with the departments concerned and hopefully the families will get the compensation soon."
by Yagnesh Bharat Mehta via Surat News, Latest Surat News Headlines & Live Updates - Times of India
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