40 SRPF companies deployed in Covid-19 hotspots

The state has deployed 40 companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) in zones which have been earmarked as Covid-19 hotspots. Maharashtra home minister Anil

The state has deployed 40 companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) in zones which have been earmarked as Covid-19 hotspots. Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said the government may even deploy Rapid Action Force (RAF) or Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), if need be, to contain the spread.

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The force has been deployed in red zones, which have a sizable number of Covid-19 patients, namely Dharavi and Worli-Koliwada in Mumbai, Gultekadi in Pune and Malegaon in Nashik. The hotspots have curfew-like restrictions. “We have given SRPF companies depending on the demand from district collectors or commissioners. Forty such companies of about 90 to 110 personnel have been deployed in various parts of the state,” Deshmukh told HT. “Their [RAF and CRPF] deployment is done in extreme conditions, but I don’t think that will be required. We will be able to handle the situation with the help of local police and SRPF,” he said.

Mumbai MLAs and ministers Varsha Gaikwad and Aslam Shaikh had demanded deployment of the SRPF in areas like Worli and Dharavi.