7,612 Delhi cops infected with Covid-19 in 2020, 97% recovered

The police in 2020 also opened seven wellness centres in police colonies where 11,700 personnel and their families sought medical consultation.

A total of 7,612 Delhi Police personnel were infected with Covid-19 last year and 32 of them succumbed to the virus, the Delhi Police said on Friday.

A policeman gets tested for Covid-19 at Khyala Police Station in New Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/ HT Archive)

Of the infected personnel, 97.5% (7,424) have recovered so far and joined duty, said the police.

Another 231 police personnel died of natural causes through the year, 44 in accidents and 14 by suicide, said Anil Mittal, additional spokesperson of the Delhi Police, giving a round up of the year gone by.

The officer said that the year was challenging for the police since the pandemic left them “mentally, physically and officially over stretched”.

“ We have discussed with a bank for better insurance for our personnel. Now, insurance cover for natural deaths of police personnel has been raised from R5 lakh to R28 lakh and for deaths in accidents from R30 lakh to R78 lakh,” said Mittal.

He said that now even families of suicide victims will be offered R10 lakh as compensation.

The police in 2020 also opened seven wellness centres in police colonies where 11,700 personnel and their families sought medical consultation. “Now there is a compulsory medical check up for our personnel over the age of 40 so that any illnesses are diagnosed and treated in time,” said the officer.

The police said that 5,645 personnel of the ranks from constable to sub-inspectors were promoted through 2020. These included three out-of-turn promotions for personnel who helped recover 50 or more missing children through the year.

A total of 190 personnel were also hired on compassionate grounds.