Indianexpress.com : comments : Karkare's bullet-proof SUV was hardly used

Karkare's bullet-proof SUV was hardly used

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) headquarters in Mumbai got its first bullet-proof vehicle, for the use of its chief Hemant Karkare, in October. Karkare checked it out once, but hardly used it again. On November 26, he and two other officers were shot dead in a regular police vehicle. ....Read more

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Does add upBy: Biso | Sunday , 14 Dec '08 4:35:58 AM Reply | Forward The terrorists killed Karkare , Kamte abd Salaskar and took away their vehicle. They had tried to take away another poloce vehicle but the driver who was shot and injured had the presence of mind to lock himself in, pretend to be dead and thus prevented the terrorists from hijacking it. Karkare's vehicle which came to the site soon after was ambushed and the occupants killed before they could react. I heard about the incident on Barkha Dutt's serial on TV where this brave man , with his hand in plaster had been invited. He narrated the story.This was a case of inside incompetency. As for betrayal ask the politicians who have shied away from having a centralised anti terror set up to protect their own vested interests. They are the ones who have made India a soft state. The result is for all to see.

GUNSBy: Um Shankar | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 19:48:10 PM Reply | Forward Every state in India should set up SWAT Special Forces Teams, which must be stationed in every district head quarters. Special Forces must be equipped with Heckler

BP VestBy: Uma Shankar | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 19:44:46 PM Reply | Forward A good Bullet Proof vest costs about INR 20,000. I bought one.

Politicians want everything while the police and the public go unprotectedBy: S.Balakrishnan | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 17:30:12 PM Reply | Forward 18 for Politicians and for a long time zero for the poeple who fight the bad guys in the street? Karkare must have thought that these are precious and did not want to spoil them knowing how tough it was to get one. His bullet proof vest was possibly made before bullets were discovered? Funds should be limited to the politicians and not for the police. No wonder we have such casualities caused by 10 men. What a nation after 60 years of independance. Do we really know how to govern ourselves? During Independance struggle I used to hear many voice this suspicion but I know why now? They feared the type of politicians that will arise displacing the myriands who went to prison and suffered all across the country hoping for nothing but the right that the nation will be free of foreign occupation. Little did they know how corrupt politicians will become once they get into power.

Bullet-proof counter terrorBy: J.M.Manchanda | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 17:19:53 PM Reply | Forward Unfortunately one has to accept the view that Karkare acted unprofessionally while tackling the dreaded terrorists. It seems he mistook it to be a skirmish between the underworld dons and in the face of a lull in firing, took off his bullet-proof vest and helmet. Though with the benefit of hindsight, one can see the meticulousness with which the ten terrorists planned the Mumbai attack and one must concedethat the response of policemen was no match for it. Karkare was not alone in acting in such a manner-Shinde too tried to take on AK-47 wielding terorists with an ordinary pistol and paid with hs life. In Delhi, Mohan Chand Sharma had made the same mistake in rushing into Jamia Nagar hideout of terrorists without due caution. The death of such brave officers leaves one with a sense of loss. It can demoralise the police men and embolden the terrorists. Therefore all precautions must be taken and equipment used in future.

AmbushBy: Akshay | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 22:28:48 PM Reply | Forward He was going to the hospital to see his fallen constable. The two terrorists accidentally went in to the hospital and were spray-bulleting everything in sight. They didn't take their bullet-proof vests off; it's a sad statement on our police machinery when you realize that they died with their bullet-proof vests _on_ .I don't think they knew they were going into an encounter; they were ambushed.

jai hindBy: Rajesh sehgal | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 12:29:43 PM Reply | Forward shame on youll corrupt politicians who just want their swiss accounts to be filled up at the cost of life of Indian people. feel like spitting on your faces but that will be an insult to my spit as it is not worth for filthy people like youll. Jai hind

You dont have to hang bones around ur neck to show that u r a Non -vegetarianBy: Regi | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 11:52:35 AM Reply | Forward We are Indians chief Hemant Karkare died for our Mother India .We know that many might have collaborated in this savagely BARBARIC episode.Mother India will stand united against these cowards who dont believe in a man to man encounter .We salute the Great man and his friends who sacrificed there life for Mother India

There was a mistake.. Let us admit itBy: Thomas Varghese | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 11:36:04 AM Reply | Forward With all respects to the martyred ATS Chief; He committed a blunder. A commander, with a death threat and with a known face, should have never go to the scene without getting the maximum information. His job is not to shoot the terrorist, but, to plan the strategy and lead his team. Even if he reached the scene, he should have stayed inside the vehicle.It is a very common understanding; I dont always take my Sales Director to meet two or three mid-level people from the customer company. I get ideas and instructions from my Director on how to deal with the situation. Again with all respects to individual lives, The life of ATS chief is worth the life of a whole unit.

Wrong.By: Akshay | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 22:31:19 PM Reply | Forward A lot of people seem to have this impression that he went in to an encounter. He didn't; he merely was visiting an attacked constable. That the terrorists attacked a hospital and were shooting everything in sight was co-incidental and unplanned.

Gallantry at platter for IPS when poor jawans die everyday in BastarBy: banarjee | Monday , 29 Dec '08 17:55:07 PM Reply | Forward hemant dosn't deserve gallantry or it will be a reward for incompetency,lack of leadership,no plan B at place,devoid of strategy,failure for ATS(Anti Terrorist Squad)with least acuman for a super cop.God ,pls give some wisdom to my countryman who always denies to see the truth and fair with the system and always rewards the undeserwed.nation walk up and ask questions or you will see more mumbai carnage as inefficient officers are rewarded.i have no doubt why my country suffered slavery for such a long period.we will not change or we don't want to change.

Blunder??By: Charles Davis | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 22:10:12 PM Reply | Forward His brave act may not be called a blunder. However, I would agree with you, for when an efficient leader loses his life, there is difficulty in directing his group. I think Karkare knew such strategies better than us. Yet he risked his life, for the context was unexpected, so was his response unusual. The fact is: there are rare heroic persons like Karkare.

I agree with you.. and more..By: Indian | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 13:58:41 PM Reply | Forward I agree with you.. with all respects to the martyred ATS Chief, he committed a blunder.. but, I would like to go into the root cause... the root cause is that he had been misused for falsely implicating Hindu saints and sadhvis.. and for that, he knew that there was no need for bullet-proof vehicle, etc. He can happily go with is banian and dhoti and still arrest the sadhvi. But, he should have realised that now was his real job.. he was so used to misuse by the politicians he did not realise that he was now dealing with a REAL terrorist with machine guns.. not a Sadhvi with a kamandalam in her hands..

Bigots like you.By: Akshay | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 22:33:04 PM Reply | Forward Get over it; the ATS had proof that they were presenting in court. Or do you prefer that they surpress actual evidence just because the accused's religion is not what you think it is?Oh wait, don't bother; I know the answer already.

Can't be strategical everytime.By: Hassan | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 13:57:38 PM Reply | Forward Mr.Thomas, with due respect your intelligence, i have to say that it is not possible for a cop to be too strategical and philosophical when his nation is under a massive attack and his people are shot dead.It is true that he wouldn't have got all the informations as everyone was just not sudden aware what was going on.It is not him who should be blamed but the IB which utterly failed to foresee the brutal attack on our nation.We should not underestimate his courage just because of a a mistake done by many people.First the authority which gave them the useless bullet proof jackets...then the vehicle..then the media which every second informed the assailants that our top ATS officials are on light!

Can't be strategical everytimeBy: DS Tomar | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 14:28:51 PM Reply | Forward Dear Hassan, I think Mr. Thomas is not wrong in expressing his view which are worth to accept. During war General (Chief of Army Staff) need not to take gun mingled in firing and shooting. His duties to plan the moves, and act as per situation. Exposing to the bullets was shear bad luck and lack of wide experience. Regarding substandard bullet proof jackets and vehicle etc I am agree with you but still every one knows the facts of our governing metods.

SUVs for security forcesBy: PR Rao | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 11:30:07 AM Reply | Forward In this country budget is never a restraint for a politician's security but the security forces who are most used to secure the politicians on one side and the terrorists and criminals on the other side are starving for budgets for SUVs and bullet proof jackets. Even if budgets are alalocated they are utilised through tenders which are mostly grabbed by the henchmen of politicians. We have to pity ourselves and do not know when things will improve and stop sacrificing sincere officers.

ATTACKING TERRORISMBy: B S GANESH | Saturday , 13 Dec '08 7:34:50 AM Reply | Forward Kudos to Congress AICC Secretary and MP Rahul Gandhi for asking his party leaders to think about safety and security of common people rather than for themselves saying they can not have more benefits as VIPs when people are sufferuing. He has rightly deplored the politicisation of police forces across the country and emphasised parties to desist from intefering in the functioning of the police and other security forces in the interest of the nation. Let him pave the way for police reforms which is pending since decades due to disinterest of politicians. INDIA IS RUINED BY OUR GREEDY POLITICIANS. B S Ganesh, ganshar@dataone.in 70/9 Basappa Layout, Hanumanthnagar, BANGALORE 560 019

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