On the backdrop of four low-intensity serial bomb blasts in the city last week, sources in the Bomb Disposal and Detection Squad (BDDS) claim that they have all other equipment for just such a situation, but are lacking the most crucial requirement — state of art bomb suits.

The BDDS currently has only one bomb suit, which sources claim is heavy, bulky and difficult for the wearer to manoeuvre in, besides being damaged to an extent that it does not guarantee the survival of the wearer in the event of an explosion. A requisite was made in 2008 to the state government to provide at least six bomb suits, but the tendering and purchasing process is allegedly mired in red tape.