5 months after 26/11, state still hasn't been able to give our police officers the bulletproof jackets they desperately need
5 months after 26/11, state still hasn't been able to give our police officers the bulletproof jackets they desperately need
In the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks, a lot of hype was created about the obsolete arms and ammunition provided to the police force and, though promises were made to upgrade the weaponry, they only remain on paper. Five months on, the police continue to use the same sub-standard bulletproof vests that could not save the lives of ATS chief Hemant Karkare and additional commissioner of police Ashok Kamte.
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In fact, encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar, also killed in the 26/11 attacks, didn't use the jackets, as he was aware that they were sub standard.
According to police sources, several senior police officers visited arms manufacturers in the UK and US.
"However, bulletproof vests required by the state police do not match international standards. The local police use 42-inch vests, which are not manufactured elsewhere in the world," said an official.
Joint Commissioner of Police (law and order) K L Prasad confirmed that the improved vests are yet to
be procured and refused to give details.
The requirement
The state police require around 900 bulletproof vests of high quality, which can provide protection against bullets fired at a velocity of 398 metres per second, informed sources from the police force.u00a0
Faulty jackets
A former State Reserve Police Force commandant said the earlier consignment of bulletproof jackets procured by Mumbai police, also used by Karkare and Kamte, were sent for trials at the firing range in Goregaon in 2004-05. The jackets were fitted on dummies before they were sprayed with bullets from AK 47s and Self Loading Rifles.
Officials were surprised to find that all the bullets went through the armour of the sample jackets even though the rounds were fired from a distance.
The officer said a report was submitted to the home department soon after the trials. However, the file
was returned to the state police force with the remark: Quality would be improved before supply of the consignments. Despite the assurance what was delivered to them were the sub-standard bulletproof vests.
About the vest
For over 20 years, the Mumbai police have been using 42-inch bulletproof vests. They are covered with a special cloth and a special wire mesh. However, specifications are rarely met and the steel plates are often corroded. The wire mesh is found to be less than 10 gauges, which often fails to protect the police from short gunfires.
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