Chhattisgarh Police ramps up Covid-19 testing after 8 cops found positive

Director general of police DM Awasthi said around 5,000 tests have been conducted, including rapid tests, and some reports are pending.

Updated on: Jun 12, 2020, 16:21:36 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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Chhattisgarh Police has ramped up testing for Covid-19 among personnel deployed in quarantine centres and containment zones across the state after eight policemen tested positive for the Coronavirus in four districts in 10 days.

Police personnel returning from leave will have to undergo home quarantine, while personnel of central police forces coming back from leave are being sent into institutional quarantine for a fortnight. (PTI)

Director general of police DM Awasthi said around 5,000 tests have been conducted, including rapid tests, and some reports are pending.

“Police personnel are working day and night in quarantine centres and containment zones, risking their health, and hence continuous testing is going on,” he said.

According to figures from the police department, three policemen tested positive in Raipur district, two each in Mungeli and Surajpur districts and one in Durg district.

Police personnel returning from leave will have to undergo home quarantine, while personnel of central police forces coming back from leave are being sent into institutional quarantine for a fortnight.

State health secretary Niharika Barik Singh has written to senior officials of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Services Selection Board (SSB) to ensure compliance with quarantine protocols.

Officials said directions have been issued that whenever personnel return to Chhattisgarh from some other state, authorities must ensure they are compulsorily quarantined for 14 days. Information about them should be given to district collectors and health tests must be conducted on them.

“Arrangements for institutional quarantine have been made by the central forces deployed in Chhattisgarh and the protocol is strictly followed,” said Awasthi.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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