220 police personnel of Assam have tested COVID-19 positive; DGP

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Admitting that 220 police personnel of the State have tested COVID-19 positive, State DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta has said that there's nothing to be surprised at as the pandemic has gripped all. He has said that since the police personnel are working for the safety of the public against the pandemic, being attacked by the virus is quite natural.

Addressing a press conference at Assam Police Headquarters here on Monday, the DGP said, "A total of 220 personnel from different districts, battalions and organizations have tested COVID-19 positive till July 5. Among them, 171 personnel (48 symptomatic and 123 asymptomatic) have been admitted to COVID care centres – 49 from district police, 112 from battalions and ten from various other organizations like the CID, Border Police, Police Headquarters, River Organization etc. Apart from these, 932 other police personnel are in quarantines – 145 in districts and 787 in battalions. There are 49 other personnel in home quarantine."

The DGP said, "Anticipating such a situation, we did get ready way back in March this year. We set up a help desk for interacting with the infected personnel and their family members. I personally talk to them. This is not all. We've set up a few COVID Care Centres exclusively for the police personnel. One wing of the COVID Care Centre at Khanapara has been allotted exclusively for police personnel. Along with the medical paraphernalia at Dhergaon we've set up a 40-bedded sophisticated accommodation. Another high-quality COVID Care centre is at its final stage at 16th AP (IR) Bn at Bormonipur. As many as 22 police doctors and 250 nursing staff have been imparted COVID training."

The DGP claimed that the morale of the State police force is high. "Our operations against antisocial elements, insurgency, criminal activities, drugs peddling and illegal weapons have also been going on as usual. We could recover a cache of arms in the BTAD, besides foiling some new groups' bid to make their presence felt in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts," he said.

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