The Hindu Business Line : 7/11 train blasts: 200 victims yet to be compensated

Mumbai, July 10 From mangled remains to a fully refurbished coach, the Western Railway appears to have come a full circle a year after the dreaded Mumbai 7/11 train blasts. But sadly, the dependents and victims of the explosions have found little solace to rebuild their shattered lives.

The railway’s decked coach 864-A that was damaged by the blast at Matunga station will hit the tracks on Wednesday. The Western Railway General Manager, Mr A.K. Jhingron, will visit Mahim Station to pay homage to the 187 victims who lost their lives in the near simultaneous blasts. This is the first of the five coaches that the railways have planned to rebuild.

On July 11, 2006, seven blasts within 10 minutes during peak hours rocked first class compartments of trains near Matunga, Mahim, Bandra, Khar, Jogeswari, Borivali and Mira Road stations, leaving 187 dead and 882 injured.

Over Rs 12 crore has been paid as ex-gratia by the railways as on June 30, 2007. The State Government too, pitched in with assistance, but then the assistance has just not been enough for the hapless. A former MP, Mr Kirit Somaiya, who has taken up their cause told the Business Line that the State Government informed him that of 1,077 victims, including 187 dead, 844 had been paid and 200-odd need to be compensated. He said compensation was insufficient for many, especially those w ho suffered minor injuries as they had lost their livelihood.

Mr Somaiya along with Mr Gopal Shetty, MLA, have filed a petition with the Human Rights Commission urging that the Union Government, State Government and the Railways should take care of 1,077 victims/families and complete the commitment. The petition will come up for hearing on July 25.

A special bench formed in December 2006 to hear grievances has had only five sitting till now. Mr Somaiya claims that of the 339 injured claims filed, only 10 have been disposed of. Of 235 people eligible for jobs, only 118 applied and 44 joined. He said in many cases post graduates and professionals were offered jobs as helpers and peons.

Trial for accused

Twenty-eight people accused in connection with the blasts may be brought to trial by the end of July. The police have filed charges against 18 Indian nationals, five of whom allegedly planted the bombs on packed commuter trains, and 10 Pakistanis who are said to be on the run.

And, giving a global angle to the sequential blasts case here, there are reports that the Mumbai sleuths are likely to forward the “horror files” to the Bangalore police to help probe the link between the one accused here, Muzammil Sheik, and the Ahmed brothers in the recent Glasgow attack case.

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