RTI activist accuses Assam police of procuring low-quality bullet-proof jackets, demands probe

GUWAHATI: Even as the efficacy of the bullet-proof jackets that are being used by Assam Police are under scan after the May 4 last death of a young police officer Bhaskar Kalita during a gun battle with ULFA-I militants near Assam-Arunachal border under Bordumsa police station in Dibrugarh district, a RTI activist has stirred the hornet’s nest here by alleging that irregularities were committed while procuring the lot of bullet proof jackets from a firm based in Bengaluru.
Besides Bhaskar Kalita, Assam police have lost at least two more officers, one Additional SP, Guljar Hussain and Nityananda Goswami while fighting ultras wearing these bullet-proof jackets.
RTI activist Dulal Borah alleged before media here that it was on June 17, 2010 when the tender was floated for procurement of 1560 bullet proof jackets for Assam Police. Subsequently, a Bengaluru-based company, M/S Tata Advance Materials Limited was entrusted to supply the bullet-proof jackets.
The RTI activist Dulal Bora alleged that irregularities occurred and quality was compromised during the supply of bullet-proof jackets. He said as per the conditions mentioned in the tender advertisement it was mentioned that the weight of a standard-size bullet proof jacket must be 6.81 Kg while that of a large-size should be 7.12 kilogram. But each of the bullet-proof jackets that are being used by Assam police weighs only three kgs.
According to the RTI activist, the bullet proof jackets should have at least four layers of bullet resistant armour plates to become really bullet-proof. He said such jackets were useless if they contained even one layer of armour plate missing. He alleged that the weight of the bullet-proof jackets supplied by Bengaluru-based firm and used by Assam police was low because there were only two layers of armour plates inside them.
The RTI activist demanded an enquiry as to why the then purchasing committee of Assam police headed by an ADGP rank officer agreed to purchase low-quality bullet-proof jackets fitted with only two layers of armour plates that would definitely put the life of officers and jawans of the force in high risk while fighting armed insurgents.
Meanwhile, an additional- chief secretary level investigation initiated by Assam government into the efficacy of the bullet-proof jackets was in progress, a highly-place police official informed. The government of Assam, though desired, could not announce as award  posthumously for deceased young police officer, Bhaskar Kalita who was wearing one of such bullet-proof jackets while fighting insurgents, because of non-completion of inquiry. It was mentioned by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal during his address to the people of the state on last Independence Day.