THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: So far, 130 police officers involved in Covid-19 operations have been quarantined across the state, revealing the dangerous conditions under which they have been functioning. As per official records, around 20,000 cops are engaged in Covid-related works, which makes for almost one third of the department’s force.
Officers who came into direct contact with the infected people at airports and those who worked at Covid hotspots were asked to go on quarantine to thwart the chances of spreading the disease. Of the 130 cops, 75 are home-quarantined in the capital and four are under isolation.City police sources said the officers were quarantined as a precautionary measure.
“Many had been posted at immigration desks in the airport to screen foreigners and NRI’s. Some were on duty in places where positive cases had been reported,” said police sources. City Police Commissioner Balram Kumar Upadhyay said none of his men had tested positive so far. He added officers have been assigned duties keeping in mind their health and well being.
“We have 2,000 officers on Covid duty. We deploy them in batches for three days, after which they are replaced by a next batch. This is to ensure their safety. We are managing our resources prudently,” he said.
Other places where cops have been quarantined include Kasaragod and Kannur. Headquarters ADGP Manoj Abraham said, “Right now our focus is on fighting the contagion. All members of the force are doing their job. We hope that our people will continue to remain safe and healthy. We don’t think we need to raise any reserves or replacements now,” he added.