Karkare bulletproof jacket not missing, but stolen

MUMBAI: Santosh Daundkar, a social worker , has filed an application with the JJ Marg police station on Sunday seeking registration of a theft complaint for anti-terrorism squad’s (ATS) slain chief Hemant Karkare’s missing bulletproof jacket.

Karkare died on the night of November 26 last year while combating the terrorists near Cama Hospital. Home minister R R Patil also ordered a probe into Karkare’s missing bulletproof jacket. Karkare was the only officer in the team led by him, to have worn a bulletproof jacket.

The application, a copy of which is with the TOI, stated, “From the media reports it became apparent that despite wearing the protective bulletproof jacket, the bullets pierced through his (Karkare’s ) body. It thus became logically apparent that the bulletproof jacket had failed.’’ The complaint further stated, "It is a matter of fact that the bulletproof jacket had been purchased by the senior officers after committing several illegalities. The sub-standard jackets were returned and supplied to the police again."

The complainant said that despite the fact that there were several police officers at the scene of crime, yet this jacket got stolen. Karkare who succumbed to his injuries near Cama Hospital had arrived dead to JJ Hospital . "The jacket was on Karkare’s body and was removed in the hospital only. And then it went missing. It is a criminal conspiracy. The police should have registered an FIR about the stolen jacket," said lawyer, Y P Singh.