Now they can’t be family persons, Policing during COVID-19 outbreak

GUWAHATI: The police, one of the frontline service providers during the corona outbreak in the State, have been facing a harrowing time yet they are rendering a commendable service. Policing day in, day out in the field they have literally got their connections snapped with near and dear ones.

ADCP (central) Sarmistha Barua, a 2004 batch alumna of Dergaon Assam Police Training Centre, when contacted by The Sentinel, said, “My husband Pranjit Borah and me scarcely have time to meet each other. He is also a 2004 batch alumnus of the same training centre and now a DCP (traffic). We mostly have talks over mobile phones. I’ve opted to this profession knowing well that the duty would always be high on my priority. I’m busy in making people aware of the consequences if they defy the COVID-19 guidelines. We can hardly reach home before 12 midnight. Sometimes in the wee hours, say at 3 am. I’m a mother of two children – while one is seven-year old, the other is three-year old. Frankly speaking, we hardly have breakfast together, let alone lunch and dinner.

“The elder son knows a little. However, younger one isn’t ready to listen to anything. As often as not, we’ve to console them through video calling. Since both the parents are busy in policing, the children miss their due share of parenting.

“Of course, I’m quite lucky. I’ve understanding in-laws as well as parents. My two kids are being looked after by my parents. What’s quite disheartening is that we spend time making people understand the consequences of violation of COVID-19 lockdown. However, back home we daren’t go closer to our own kids and other family members. We apprehend to go near them as they may get infected from us.”

Bhangagarh Police Station OC Khargeswar Rabha said, “Celebrating Bihu or any other festivals with family members is scarcely possible for us. Taking the family along with us in every posting isn’t possible. Now we’re busy in making people understand the COVID-19 guidelines. We prevent people from coming out from their houses only for their wellbeing. Everybody should know this.

“My son took HSLC (High School Leaving Certificate) examinations this year. This is one of the times for a student to spend time with his/her parents and others. However, due to the lockdown, neither my son can come to meet me nor can I go to him. Staying isolated is a must for me since infection to my child from me can’t be ruled out as we meet hundreds of people daily and tackle them. Since duty is high on our priority list, festivals and other functions are always secondary for us. If a festival goes peacefully, we remain peaceful.”

OC of Paltan Bazar Police Station Utpal Changmai said, “The police station is my home now ever since the lockdown has been clamped in the State. Since our duty is to keep people falling under my jurisdiction safe, we have to work day in, day out. We stay away from family as they may get infected from us. We try our best to make people in our areas meet their daily needs, right from medicines, fruits, taking beggars to their shelter homes etc.”

Traffic constable Mithun Das of Basistha Police Station said, “We couldn’t go to home during the Bihu. Our duty is to make people aware of COVID-19 guidelines. However, a section of people doesn’t take us that way. Some even scold us and go away. We request them to stay indoors.”

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