Mumbai places order for 18 armoured personnel carriers

Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar were gunned down in their vehicles by Ajmal Amir Kasab and Abu Ismail in the first few hours of the carnage on 26/11.

While Mumbai Police will get 14 APCs from Mahindra & Mahindra motors,the rest will be delivered by Tata Motors,each at a cost of about Rs 50 lakh. Each vehicle can accommodate 12 people. “While the entire vehicle is bullet-proof,the crew sitting in the rear can shoot through small holes in the windows and be safe,” said one senior officer,who spoke on condition of anonymity. Besides the 18 APCs,Mumbai Police will also get two bullet-proof escort vehicles which will be a part of the motorcades of VVIPs such as the prime minister and the president when they visit the city.

As first reported by The Indian Express,Maharashtra Police had only two bullet-proof vehicles before the 26/11 attacks,both of which were with the ATS but were hardly being put to use. APCs are a common sight in militancy-hit regions such as Jammu and Kashmir,some northeastern states and even in some parts of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh,which are worst affected by Naxal violence. They are used by the army,central and state police forces for counter-insurgency operations,patrolling and also keep vigil at key junctions and near sensitive buildings and facilities.

Some security experts in the state government,however,questioned whether Mumbai Police was going overboard by acquiring APCs. “The chances of these APCs being put to good use is remote,even if you consider the possibility of another similar terror attack on Mumbai,” said one official. “These vehicles could just end up transporting policemen around the city.”