202 policemen infected with Covid-19 in Bihar

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Patna, April 20 (IANS) 202 police personnel have been infected with Covid-19 while five, including a sub-inspector and inspector, have succumbed to the virus in Bihar so far while performing duty, an official said on Tuesday.

Following the surge of cases in the frontline warriors, DGP S K Singhal has come up with fresh guidelines for the police personnel of the state.

Sources said that the guidelines have come after the Bihar Police association had written a letter to the DGP on Monday raising concerns over the health security of the police personnel.

"We have informed the DGP about the health issues of the policemen and challenges they are facing while being on duty. So far, 202 police personnel have been infected with the virus of which many are struggling to get a bed in the hospitals," said Mritunjay Kumar Singh, president of Bihar Police association.

"There were several complaints that the DGP was not responding to the phone calls so we sent messages on Whatsapp group and have also written a letter asking him to take initiative for the treatment of police personnel," Singh said.

"On Monday, Triloki Nath Rai, a sub-inspector deployed in Motihari and Jaydev Bhagat, inspector deployed in a special branch in Patna, died due to Corona. On Tuesday, Raj Kishore Prasad, inspector of GRP at Keul railway station also died due to Corona infection," Singh added.

Besides this, a large number of police personnel and their family members are infected with deadly virus despite taking the second dose of vaccine. Among infected officials, several are of DSP rank officers. The officials are either in home isolation or fighting for their lives in the hospitals.

As per the fresh guidelines issued by the DGP, every police personnel have to wear a face mask and follow the social distancing. Unnecessary entry of outsiders in police stations, posts and other offices has also been banned with immediate effect.

"Only genuine persons are allowed to go inside after thermal screening and sanitization. If Covid symptoms are found in any police personnel then they have to be in quarantine. The authority will have to make arrangements for the officials who are Covid positive and living in the police line. The authority can utilize lesser utility buildings to develop a quarantine centre inside the premises," Singhal said referring to the guideline.

"The IGP or DIGP have been appointed as nodal officers to take care of the infected police personnel and arrange medical treatment for them. We have deployed DSP rank officers at DIGP, IGP and DGP control room to coordinate with them," the guidelines said.

--IANS

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