26/11 victims got Rs 19 crore compensation

Rs 19 crore -- that is the compensation paid so far by the central and state government to victims of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.

Of this, the railways paid out Rs 4.88 crore to the 48 people who were killed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Rs 31.7 lakh to the 97 people injured there.

The Mumbai collector paid Rs 7.1 crore to 142 citizens and foreign nationals who died in the city, Rs 5.5 crore to the security persons who died on duty, Rs 30.8 lakh to 164 people for funeral expenses and Rs 1.17 crore to 234 people who were injured in the attack.

While the government paid out compensation at a brisk pace, the payment was not uniform. The people who died at CST were paid a compensation of Rs 10 lakh while those who died in the city were paid Rs 5 lakh. And those who were government servants were paid Rs 25 lakh.

Those injured received free treatment at JJ hospital. Three months later, only one victim Sulochana Lokhande is still in hospital as her bullet-shattered left hand has not healed.

The other victims were paid by the Mumbai collector, who paid out Rs 7.1 crore to the heirs of 142 victims, which is Rs 5 lakh per life. But the 22 government servants who lost their lives while on duty were paid Rs 25 lakh each.

The collector also paid the funeral expenses of the victims.

Out of 262 injured persons, the collector has paid Rs 50,000 each to 234 injured persons totalling Rs 1.17 crore.

In the case of the two cabs that exploded during the attacks, the widows of both cab drivers killed have received Rs 5.15 lakh each. But the owners of the cabs have not received any compensation. One of them has gone to court claiming compensation from the government. The drivers had rented out the cabs from the owners.

The collector's office said of the 144 victims entitled to compensation, 142 cheques have been issued. Two bodies have not been identified. One is said to be that of a man who used to beg at CST station.

Compensation is yet to be paid to two Germans who died in the attack -- Alison Michael and Shih Fung Chen -- as their addresses have not been traced.