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Ludhiana police stations turn into fortresses against Covid
Cops allowing only a couple of visitors at a time, besides checking their body temperature before allowing them entry.
That the Covid-19 pandemic has affected various sectors is a given, and the Ludhiana police department is no exception.
From the district’s 28 police stations adapting to working amid the pandemic to cops exercising every caution while battling the virus from the frontline, along with health workers, the past four months have brought a sea change in the Ludhiana police commissionerate’s functioning.
It was on April 18 when the department lost its first officer, assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Anil Kumar Kohli, to Covid-19, prompting police stations to enforce stringent rules for visitors.
While urging residents to visit police stations only in case of emergency, the department has been encouraging them to register their complaints via e-mail. Several police stations have also installed complaint boxes outside their premises.
Entry of more than two people at a time is restricted, while those entering are thermal scanned, given sanitisers and asked to wear face masks.
While going out for investigation, cops arm themselves with not only weapons, but also face masks and gloves, and sanitise their uniforms before reentering the police stations.
Inspector Jarnail Singh, SHO at Division Number 8 police station, said, “We work on the frontline, hence we remain vulnerable. We allow only one or two people to enter the police station at a time and ask them to wear masks.”
“Responsibilities of the sentry at the main gate have increased manifold due to the Covid-19 outbreak. He checks the body temperature of visitors using a thermal scanner and maintains hand sanitisers for the public,” the SHO added.
The inspector is one out of the 3,000 police personnel, who have undergone Covid-19 testing so far. While he tested positive in the first test, the results were negative in the two subsequent tests.
In addition to the other precautions, the Shimlapuri police station has also installed a sanitisation gate to disinfect visitors.
Inspector Amandeep Singh Brar, the SHO here, said they had also made adequate seating arrangement to ensure social distancing between visitors.
ASI Harbhajan Singh, in-charge at Mundian police post, said the area under their purview was mostly inhabited by labourers, whom they had been educating about the pandemic. “We take all precautions while arresting suspects, as a man arrested in an abetment to suicide case had tested positive for Covid-19,” he said.
“Besides ensuring enough gap among visitors, we disinfect the police station building daily,” he added.
When it comes to social distancing, police are taking measures for those locked up as well.
“Only one suspect is sent in one lock-up room. In case more space is needed, they are sent to other police posts under our jurisdiction,” said inspector Mohammad Jameel, SHO, Focal Point police station, where 17 cops, including the SHO, were quarantined after a snatcher they had arrested and produced in court on April 5 was found positive for Covid-19.
Inspector Prem Singh, SHO at Dakha police station, said they had pasted notifications outside the main gate that only two persons are allowed with a complainant. “It is a common habit among people, especially in rural areas, to bring along a crowd for every complaint,” he said.
The Dakha police station, which earned the tag of model police station, has also installed a sanitisation gate, besides ensuring availability of sanitiser for villagers.
