The Maharashtra government has announced that it would procure around 2,000 high-quality bulletproof jackets — costing between Rs32,000 and Rs45,000 — as part of its efforts to mordernise the police force in the state.
The announcement was made against the backdrop of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, in which anti-terrorism squad chief Hemant Karkare was killed despite wearing a bulletproof jacket. The police faced flak over the poor quality of the jackets worn by its officers on the night of the attacks, especially from Karkare's widow Kavita.
The new jackets, which are yet to be procured, are tested at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Chandigarh, and the agency supplying the jackets has been certified by the Centre. The agency also supplies these jackets to the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and National Security Guards (NSG).
Is the purchase of 2,000 high-quality bulletproof jackets a good first step to modernise the police force? What are the other measures that the government should take to help the police combat situations like 26/11?
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