Mumbai Police loses second cop to Covid-19

A 52-year-old police head constable attached with the protection branch of Mumbai Police, who was undergoing treatment for coronavirus at MGM Hospital in Panvel,

A 52-year-old police head constable attached with the protection branch of Mumbai Police, who was undergoing treatment for coronavirus at MGM Hospital in Panvel, died on Sunday. The head constable is the second Mumbai Police personnel to die of coronavirus. A 57-year-old head constable attached with Vakola police station had died due to the virus at BYL Nair Hospital on Saturday afternoon.

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“Mumbai Police regrets to inform you of the sad demise of head constable Sandip Surve, aged 52. Shri Surve had been fighting Coronavirus for the past few days. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones,” tweeted Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh around 11.30am on Sunday.

A senior police officer, who did not wished to be named, told HT that the head constable worked as a store keeper in the protection office. He had been posted in the protection branch since 2018. The head constable was a Navi Mumbai resident and is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter and used to stay in Navi Mumbai.

“The head constable had been diagnosed with cancer three years ago and had received treatment for the illness. He used to travel by bus from Navi Mumbai to his office in in Ballard Pier and fell ill in the third week of April, after which he was admitted to MGM Hospital on April 23. Today [Sunday], he passed away around 7.30. His family has been informed and the cremation will be conducted in Navi Mumbai. We are tracing his contacts,” the officer said.

Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (operation) and Mumbai Police spokesperson Pranaya Ashok, said 50 police personnel have been tested positive for Covid-19 in Mumbai and are undergoing treatment at different hospitals. The Mumbai Police has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the Maharashtra Police department. The force has decided to keep its officers with health issues away from the containment zones where the chances of them getting infected by the pandemic are relatively high. “We are avoiding the deployment of older personnel and those with comorbidities in containment zones,” Ashok said.