26/11 Mumbai attack: No Shri Ganesha yet for Kuber

Call it red tapism or the apathetic attitude of the authorities, owners of the trawler that was used by Pakistani terrorists to unleash terror in Mumbai on 26/11 in 2008 have been unable to use the boat, eight years after that incident. The Masani brothers -Hiralal and Vinod -even tried to bring in some luck by prefixing Shri Ganesha to Kuber, the original name of the fishing boat, but good fortune has eluded them.After Mumbai police returned the boat following the hijack, they have tried to get their boat re-registered with the state fisheries department and to begin their business afresh, but things seemed to be stuck in babudom. With not a single rupee earning from the boat, they have been incurring lakhs of rupees in annual maintenance on Kuber that is docked in Porbandar harbour. Ajmal Kasab and other Pak-based terrorists hijacked Kuber from Porbandar to wreak havoc in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, killing 164 people and leaving 308 injured.Around four months after the attack, Mumbai police handed over the boat to the Masanis, with a rider that they cannot use it until the case was concluded. The only hitch: they required a re-registration from Gujarat Fisheries Department to reuse it.
After Kasab was hanged on November 21, 2012, the duo along with other fisher folk celebrated by bursting fire-crackers and lighting up the boat. They submitted documents to the fisheries department for re-registration. The brothers claim, “We have since submitted six applications to the department but haven't got the go ahead. We even went to Mumbai in 2013 and 2014 to collect Mumbai court order and NOC from Mumbai police.“
They attribute their plight to the frequent transfer of officials in the department. The boat owners also feel that lack of coordination between the two states (Gujarat and Maharashtra) has complicated the issue further. The owners of the boat have been unable to use it so far. They incur between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh annually for its maintenance. They have already spent Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh in the past eight years on Kuber which cost them around Rs 30 lakh.
According to Hiralal, “We were handed back the boat around four months after the terror incident. However, after the hanging of Kasab on November 21, 2012, we sought permission to reuse our boat. Since Kuber's registration was cancelled after terrorists used it, we were told to get it re-registered with Gujarat Fisheries Department.“
Subsequently, after Kasab was hanged, the duo started the process of re-registration. “We collected various documents and submitted it to the Fisheries Department. These included order of Mumbai Court, No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Mumbai police and NOC from Gujarat police. Soon after the official entrusted with the re-registration process was transferred. This was our first setback,“ he said. Vinod said, “At least three officers of the Fisheries department were transferred thereafter. It was so very painful. We have been trying since then to get the re-registration done but have not succeeded.“
Situation gets more complicated
Meanwhile, the documents went missing at the department, and the brothers were asked to get fresh documents. “When we went to Mumbai to get NOC from Mumbai police and another Mumbai Court order, we were denied on the ground that the documents had already been submitted to us. There seems to be lack of coordination between Gujarat and Maharashtra on the issue, which is affecting us badly,“ said Vinod.
The Masanis have a total of three boats: Kuber, Maa and Sana. “However, one of them is badly damaged, while Kuber is stuck in red tape. That leaves us with just one boat to use, which makes the going extremely tough for us,“ he said.
Hiralal added, “The prospects are hurting are finances badly. With only one boat, we are unable to run our business with good returns. Kuber has become an albatross around our neck. We spent Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh every year on its maintenance. Till now we have spent around Rs 25 lakh with zero returns. We don't know if this case will see the light of the day.“
When Mirror posed this issue before Gujarat Fisheries Department Secretary Dr S Murali Krishna, he said, “I am not aware of this issue. We will surely look into it and try to resolve it soon.“