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Could vest have saved Karkare?By Vinod Kumar Menon | Posted 27-Dec-2009

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Experts argue that no jacket is fool-proof. Doctors say the bullets that killed

Karkare didn't pierce his vest. Manufacturers say the top cop was wearing it all

wrong. Is this why the police force is sitting on a tender for 1,813 new, sturdier

vests?

The proverb once bitten twice shy doesn't seem applicable for the

Mumbai police. Post the 26/11-terror strike, while the home

department and senior cops are busy procuring sophisticated

weapons to strengthen their armoury, very little is being done to

train cops on using the bullet proof vest.

Hemant Karkare's death has raised public outcry and questions on

the quality of bulletproof jackets worn by the officer. It has also

led to many speculative theories, adding to the recent furore over

Karkare's missing jacket.

While some pointed out that the jacket would have saved his life, others blamed its inferior

quality for the fact that it could not shield bullets. Jacket manufacturers and security experts

say that the one worn by Karkare was not meant to stop hard steel core bullets fired from

AK-47s.

'No marks on vest'

Moreover, experts also raised doubts about the manner in which Karkare had worn the jacket,

as it exposed most of his upper body.

To corroborate this theory, the autopsy report of Karkare clearly shows that the five bullet

wounds were nowhere near the jacket. An expert attached to the department of forensics

medicine, Grant Medical College said, "Since the bullet entry wound was from the shoulder

area, no bullet marks were on the vest."

'He didn't know how to wear it'

Rahul More, a bulletproof manufacturer told Sunday MiD DAY, "Bullet proof vests won't save

anyone if the person wearing it doesn't know how to wear it. This is what exactly happened

with Karkare. His jacket was hanging with most of his upper body being exposed. The jacket

could have only stopped bullets fired from pistols and revolvers from a distance."

More added, "The apathy is that even today, most of our policemen are not trained in wearing

a bullet proof vest. Usually during combat operations, the policemen wearing a vest should

fight in a particular position, but rarely anyone knows this."

Safety ignored

Mumbai police weren't prepared for terrorists to attack the city with assault rifles. Probably

this is why the department took the decision of upgrading their existing bullet-proof jackets

lightly.

Rajkumar Durani (name changed), another bulletproof manufacturer, had earlier had a

dialogue with Karkare when he was the Joint Commissioner of Police (Administration). Durani

had pressed for an upgrade; Karkare had agreed but pointed out that there were administrative

and protocol issues against procuring them immediately.

Durani was also allowed to inspect few bulletproof jackets stored in the office building of

Protection and Security branch at Vaju Kotak Marg, at CST. Karkare was present with Durani

when they examined the vests.

Durani said, "When I saw the jackets, they were mostly 12 to 15 years old and soiled. The

moment I picked one of them (weighed over 12 to 15 kgs), the steel plates meant to protect the

bullets gave way from the jacket and fell down. I immediately pointed out that these jackets

were not foolproof security."

Karkare was later transferred to the Anti-Terrorist Squad and the discussion came to a

standstill.

Post 26/11, tenders for vests

On August 10, 2009, the State Police floated tenders, inviting bids from bulletproof

manufacturers for 1,813 units of high-end bulletproof vests which could prevent penetration of

bullets fired from AK-47s.

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Could vest have saved Karkare? - News http://www.mid-day.com/articles/could-vest-have-saved-karkare/67581

1 of 4 16.6.2014 00:22

Specifications included that the vests be lightweight (around 6 to 6.5 kilogram), cover either

side of the armpits and come with 10-year guarantees. Along with samples (each vest cost

varies between Rs 45,000 to 50,000), there are testing fees (Rs 60,000), product and tender

fees Rs 2,000 and deposit Rs 5,000 (not refunded for years, even after cancellation of the

tender).

According to manufacturers, none of their specifications were logical. Apparently only three

bulletproof manufactures from Bangalore, Kanpur and Delhi responded to the tender.

Samples from each from these units were sent to the Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory

(TBRL), Chandigarh, where sources claim that the test results, received last month, were

negative.

Additional Director General of Police (Planning and Coordination) Subhash Awate confirmed

to Sunday MiD DAY that the samples did fail the testing process. He clarified, "No jacket can

be called as a bulletproof one,

because a bullet fired from a point blank range can easily penetrate a human body, immaterial

whether the target is wearing a jacket or not. These jackets are only meant to prevent

penetration of bullets fired from a distance of 10 meter and above."

Major loopholes

Experts say that the irony is that the people involved in making the tender specifications are

not aware of the technology themselves. They don't know the velocity difference in a bullet

fired from a pistol and AK-47.

Usually the staff collects catalogues, extract the specifications and merge them to their

requirement.

Another loophole is that ever since 26/11, senior IPS officers are wary of government wrath in

case their decision on the vests are wrong. This, say manufacturers, has slowed down the

decision-making process even further.

Awate has rubbished the accusations, stating that they follow specifications laid by the Bureau

of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), Delhi.

How Hemant Karkare died in spite of wearing a bulletproof jacket

The autopsy report of Karkare clearly shows that a total of five bullets wounds on shoulder

blade top region between neck and right shoulder, of which four entry wounds are in one line

with dimensions of 1.2,1.2, 1.5 and 1.5 cms and the fifth one just behind these injuries of

dimension 2 cms.

Three bullets found their way out from the right chest and right shoulder, while two other

bullets rested in his body damaging vital organs leading to his death.

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Could vest have saved Karkare? - News http://www.mid-day.com/articles/could-vest-have-saved-karkare/67581

2 of 4 16.6.2014 00:22