By Raju Vernekar
Mumbai, May 17:
The COVID-19 pandemic claimed lives of two more policemen in Mumbai, thus taking number of police personnel becoming victim to the deadly virus to 11, with 1154 police personnel getting infected.
A 32-year-old assistant police inspector (API) Amol Kulkrani, posted at Shahu Nagar police station in Dharavi, a coronavirus disease hotspot, and a 57-year-old police assistant sub-inspector (ASI) from Nagpada Police(Motor transport) died of the killer viral infection.
API Amol Kulkarni was suffering from fever and cough and was sent on leave. On May 13, his sample was taken for Covid-19 at Sion Hospital, which proved positive, DCP Niyati Thaker said. At around 5 AM on Saturday, he accidentally fell in the bathroom at his Pratiksha Nagar residence in Central Mumbai and lost his consciousness. He was rushed to the nearby Sion Hospital, where he was declared dead even before the doctors could treat him.
While the deceased ASI was working as a driver and was posted in the motor transport (MT) section of the Mumbai Police in Nagpada. He was sent on leave about 15 days ago, as at 57 he belonged to the high-risk group.
Those deceased till now include: Amol Kulkarni, ASI Madhukar Mane, ASI Murlidhar Waghmare, Naik Bhagwan Parte, Sunil Kargutkar, and constable Chavan.
On April 27, Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh had announced that the personnel, who are above 55 years, need not report for work after three policemen died due to Covid-19. Singh also allowed the personnel, who are above 50 years and suffering from medical issues, to proceed on leave.
So far, 1154 policemen have tested positive for Coronavirus, which includes 128 officers and 1026 police constables. While 174 police personnel have successfully recovered from COVID-19.
A large number of policemen have also been put in self-quarantine, which has left a staggering shortage of personnel in the police department. To match present requirements of police personnel, the union government on Saturday sent 9 companies of rapid action force to Maharashtra. The state government had asked to send around 2000 additional policemen from the Central Armed Police Forces to provide some respite to its own fatigued officers.
In the meanwhile the officer of the rank of the Inspector General was admitted to St George’s Hospital in South Mumbai following suspicion of COVID-19 infection on Saturday.
