New Delhi, Feb 14: Devika Rotawan, a survivor of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and a key witness who identified Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab, expressed happiness over the impending extradition of Tahawwur Rana from the United States.
Speaking to IANS, she said that she was happy over the prospect of key conspiration facing the law in India soon but added that she would be more satisfied when he actually gets punished for hatching one of the worst-ever terror attacks in Mumbai, that led to killing of more than 160 people.
Rotawan further told IANS, “I have been hearing for a long time that Tahawwur Rana will be extradited. Permission has been granted, but when will he actually be brought to India? That is my question. I will only be happy once he is here and justice is served.”
She also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts in tackling terrorism and urged the government to take even stronger measures. “What PM Modi is doing for the country is commendable, but I appeal to him to do even more to eliminate terrorism completely. That would be a true victory.”
Rotawan believes that Rana’s extradition could provide more information about the planning of the 26/11 attacks. “His questioning will reveal how the attack was planned, what happened, and what is going on in the minds of terrorists today. This will be valuable intelligence for our country,” she said.
She also recounted Kasab’s execution as a significant step but stressed that the fight against terrorism must continue. “Kasab’s execution was a big step, but there are still many more terrorists who need to be dealt with. Only when they are eliminated will we know that progress is being made. Extraditing Rana is just one step; we must take more steps to completely eradicate terrorism,” she asserted.
Rotawan concluded with a strong message to the government: “Bring Tahawwur Rana to India as soon as possible, extract all necessary information from him, and ensure he is given the strictest punishment, including the death penalty if needed.”
At just nine years old, Devika was caught in the chaos at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on November 26, 2008. A bullet also hit her leg during the attack. On November 26, 2008, ten heavily armed terrorists from Pakistan infiltrated Mumbai via the sea, launching one of India’s deadliest terror attacks. The assault resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including 18 security personnel, and injured hundreds more. The property damage amounted to crores of rupees.
IANS