BENGALURU: A 59-year-old Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) at Devanagundi outpost, 29 kms from Bengaluru, tested COVID-19 positive on Friday night making him the first cop in the Force in the Bangalore Railway Division to do so.
Earlier this week, an ASI of the Government Railway Police tested positive on Tuesday (July 7) forcing the closure of the police station at KSR railway station.
According to an RPF official, "It was detected because we encouraged our staff to voluntarily go in for health check-ups since they interact with many passengers on a daily basis. The ASI's results came last night. The RPF outpost at Devanagunti has been shut and sanitized on Saturday. Another 12 people who came in touch with him have been asked to undergo home quarantine." The ASI is now undergoing treatment at the COVID railway hospital in Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, in the South Western Railway Zone, a total of 84 COVID positive cases have been reported across Bengaluru, Mysuru and Hubballi railway Divisions as on July 11. This includes railway employees, retired railway employees and the families of both. Statistics reveal that 4 of them have died, 40 have been recovered while 42 are still active cases.
Sample results of a pointsman and a retired employee, both of whom died this week at Bengaluru Railway Division are still awaited. Of the 42 who are still undergoing treatment across the SWR Zone, 3 are from Division, 9 from Bengaluru Division while the remainder are from Hubballi Division.