BHUBANESWAR: DGP Abhay has directed police personnel to take adequate precautions against coronavirus while making arrests and investigating cases. In a video-conference meeting with IGs, DIGs, SPs, SRPs of Cuttack and Rourkela and Twin City DCPs recently, the DGP directed them to ensure that social distancing norm is maintained in their offices and inside the police stations.
He instructed that only limited number of officers should interrogate an accused inside the police station. Besides, there should not be any delay in conducting medical examination of the accused before producing them before courts, Abhay added.
The direction comes after over 30 staff of Brahmagiri, Gadisagada and Kanas police stations in Puri district were sent to institutional quarantine facilities as they came in contact with three accused persons, who were arrested between June 10 and 14 and later tested positive for COVID-19.
Besides, a sub-inspector posted at Brahmagiri police tested positive for COVID-19 on June 17 after coming in contact with the accused.
Staff of Kumbharpara police station were put under quarantine on May 17 after a person arrested in a robbery case was found to be positive on the same day. The DGP also directed officials to receive complaints and address other issues of visitors at the reception desks of police stations.