Author: Yogita Limaye
Publication: IBNLive.com
Date: July 11, 2011
URL: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/5-years-of-711-attacks-victims-await-justice/166485-3.html
It has been five years since the 7/11 train
attacks in Mumbai that killed 188 people, but it's ironic that the accused
have still not been brought to the justice.
On July 11, 2006 Mumbai's suburban railway
system was ripped apart by 7 bomb blasts within 11 minutes leaving 188 people
dead and over 800 injured.
Artist and designer Mahendra Pitale who lost
his left hand in the blast at Jogeshwari station feel it's inevitable that
the slow 7/11 trial is compared to the relatively speedy 26/11 trial.
"According to me higher class public,
foreigners were involved in 26/11 at Taj. Because of that the government has
to take immediate action against the terrorists involved. Whereas in 7/11
bomb blasts middle class public was involved so the government didn't pay
any attention," Pitale said.
The trial began in December 2007 after 13
people were arrested and charged under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime
Act (MCOCA). But the special court is very far from a verdict with witnesses
still being examined.
"The accused are not punished yet. They
call us in the court and ask have you got the money and all. The accused there
laugh at us. They should be punished not only punished but hanged till death,"
Hansraj Kanojia, 7/11 victim said.
Jayprakash Gurav a fruit vendor who lost his
leg in the blast at feels no sense of security even today.
Five years may have dimmed the memories of
that terrible train attack but the fact is that local trains particularly
continue to be easy terror targets even as the masterminds of both Mumbai
attacks in recent years continue to roam around scot free.