We buy cheapest, poorest quality bullet-proof jackets, says senior cop

The bullet-proof jackets that the bravehearts of the Mumbai Police Department were wearing while confronting the terrorists, were not good enough to prevent bullets...

The bullet-proof jackets that the bravehearts of the Mumbai Police Department were wearing while confronting the terrorists, were not good enough to prevent bullets fired from sophisticated weapons like the AK-56 that the terrorists had used, police personnel across the city have said.

8220;What our establishment does not realise is that different kinds of bullet-proof vests are required for different kinds of operations. Be it naxalites or terrorists or ordinary criminals, they all tend to use different kinds of weapons with different bullet calibres. Our government has the tendency to offer tenders and buy from the lowest bidder, which ensures that we end up buying equipment that are least expensive and hence of lowest quality,8221; said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.

The vests can not even protect police personnel from automatic rifles, the official said.

A crime branch officer, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said: 8220;All the police officers, whether they are from local police stations or the elite ATS or the Crime Branch, get the same calibre of bullet-proof jackets. The jackets are useful while facing fire from less calibre bullets like the 9 mm. But they cannot withstand bullets fired from automatic weapons like the AK-56. It is tragic that so many fine and senior police officers lost their lives just because of the poor quality of bullet-proof jackets given to them8221;.

Another officer, who was with the Anti Extortion Cell till a few years back, said: 8220;The bullet-proof vests provided are sub-standard. When I was with the elite Anti Extortion Cell, there would always be a dearth of bullet-proof vests at the time of any operation. Moreover, the vests available would always be of the type which could not be relied upon. I hope this tragic incident compels the government to look closely into the matter of police welfare,8221; he said.