Demand for probe into bulletproof jacket ‘scam’ gathers steam

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Amid the furore over the death of Bordumsa OC Bhaskar Kalita who was killed in an encounter with ULFA militants at Kujupathar along the Assam-Arunachal border in Tinsukia district, questions are now being increasingly asked as to whether inferior quality bulletproof jackets led to the death of the young police officer.

With as many as nine bullets piercing the brave police officer’s body, two of them passing through the bulletproof vest, low-quality jackets were being seen as one of the reasons for the death of the Bordumsa OC.

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Now, as the clamour for a probe into the quality of bulletproof jackets grows, Assam DGP Kuludhar Saikia told News Live all records will be crosschecked amid reports that the jackets were procured sometime in 2011-12 when the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government was in power at Dispur.

BJP and AGP legislators, meanwhile, demanded that a thorough probe be instituted to get to the root of the matter.

“The issue of alleged low-quality bulletproof jackets should be brought into the probe ambit. Surprisingly, former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was also the Home Minister when the bulletproof vests were procured. The matter needs a thorough investigation,” Mrinal Saikia, BJP MLA from Khumtai LAC, told News Live.

“The ULFA militants reportedly used sophisticated arms. But if even ordinary bullets can pierce through the jackets, it would mean proper procedures were not followed while procuring the bulletproof vests,” Bokajan MLA Numol Momin of the BJP said, demanding that bulletproof jackets be also brought under the ambit of investigation.

On the other hand, Bongaigaon MLA and newly-inducted minister Phani Bhushan Choudhury, too, favoured a probe into the issue.

“If bullets have pierced the bulletproof vest, the issue should definitely be probed,” the Assam Food & Civil Supplies Minister told News Live.

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