26/11 trial: Ten-year-old girl identifies Kasab

A ten-year-old girl, who was disabled after being seriously injured in the terror attack on Mumbai on November 26 last year, on Wednesday identified arrested terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, as one of the two men who had fired indiscriminately at passengers inside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

Devika Rotawan, the youngest eyewitness to depose in the terror attack trial, was asked by the court if she could identify the terrorist among the three accused present in the dock.

 All three accused, including Kasab, stood in the dock, and the ten-year-old pointed at the Pakistani terrorist. He, however, did not react.

Describing the events on the night of November 26, Devika said, "There was a loud explosion, and my father said we should leave. Holding me in his arms, he started running in one direction while my brother ran in another direction."

"Just as we were leaving I saw two persons firing at people. I received a bullet injury in my right leg," she said, adding, "My leg was injured, and blood spilled out."

Devika was among the three witnesses to depose before the court regarding the terror strike at the CST rail terminus. Her father, Natwarlal, and an assistant police inspector who was injured in the firing at CST, also deposed before the court today.

The girl, who uses crutches to walk, was assisted by her father in walking inside the courtroom. She preferred to depose in Hindi as her brother and father looked on.

Special Judge M L Tahaliyani, while verifying if she was a competent witness, asked her whether she knew the meaning of taking oath and Devika said she did.

"All I know is that I have to speak the truth and it is a sin to tell lies," she replied.

Devika told the court that the family was planning to travel to Pune and were sitting in the main waiting hall of CST when the attack took place. Defence counsel for Kasab, Abbas Kazmi, chose not to cross-examine the witness and Special Judge M L Tahaliyani asked the girl some questions.

When asked by the court if her testimony was true, Devika said, "It is not correct to say that I am telling lies about Kasab opening fire. I have taken an oath in the name of God and I will not tell lies."

The girl also denied that she had identified Kasab only because the police had asked her to do so.