Eight years on, families of three fishermen taken hostage by the Pakistani vessel, Al Hussaini, and killed in the worst terrorist attack in 2008, are still awaiting death certificates from the government. Sources said the district collector may hold a final hearing on the certificates on December 1. The families, residing at Navsari near Porbunder, are running from pillar to post to get the certificates so that the government declares their “missing” kin dead, and they get compensation and gallantry awards. The families of Balwant Tandel, Mukesh Rathod and Natvar Natu filed an application with the Gujarat government, seeking compensation and gallantry awards. The fishermen were in the Kuber trawler when the 10 terrorists took them hostage near Jakhau. The terrorists entered Kuber and forced its captain, Amarsingh Solanki, to ferry them to Mumbai at knife-point, while they killed three fishermen and threw their bodies in Pakistani waters. The terrorists took Solanki’s help to reach Mumbai but a few nautical miles before, they killed him, and proceeded in a dingy to Budhwar Park in Colaba, to carry out the attack, killing 166 people and injuring more than 700. The bodies of the fishermen were never traced. As per government rules, only if a person goes missing and his body is not found for seven years, can he be declared dead and his family is eligible for compensation. The Gujarat Fishermen’s Association and a local political body said they made several representations to the Gujarat government but were told to approach the district collector. “There have been three hearings and now he has fixed December 1 for a final decision. We hope the poor families get justice this time. The fishermen’s families are so poor that if they don’t do any odd jobs for even a day, they have to sleep hungry,” said sarpanch, Vijay Tandel. After the attack, the Gujarat government offered Rs 2 crore to the families of Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar, who were killed in the attack. The Karkares had rejected the offer. “The Gujarat government was ready to pay Maharashtrian officers so much but not families of their constituency. Why?” said advocate, Kano Sukhadiya, who is helping the families. Solanki’s body was found and the government compensated his family Rs 25 lakh. “The compensation will help our families. My husband had gone to catch fish but he was killed by terrorists. It’s the government’s responsibility,” said Damiyanti Tandel. Luckyben Rathod (80), the grandmother of Mukesh, said, “He was the sole bread-earner of the family. He was to marry soon after his return.”
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