THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nearly 20 police personnel, including an assistant commissioner, in the state capital, were tested positive for coronavirus on Monday.
Balram Kumar Upadhyay, the city police commissioner, was advised to observe home quarantine after his personal security officer was among the infected. For the time being, south zone IG Hatshita Attaluri will be in-charge of the city police commissionerate in Thiruvananthapuram.
Cantonment ACP DC Suneesh Babu, who is in-charge of locations around Secretariat and had been controlling the recent protests in the vicinity, has also tested positive for the virus. It was his official vehicle that was used to remove protesting Congress leaders Shafi Parambil and KS Sabarinathan last week. The leaders were taken into custody later in the day.
The police officer also attended the Chief Minister's function to unveil the statue of Sree Narayanaguru at Kanakakunnu Palace ground, hours before the test results were announced on Monday.
Seven police officers, among the 50 tested in the Special Armed Police camp in the city, were found to be infected. As many as 11 police officers from Thumba police station were also tested positive three days after the first case was reported.