Playing a vanguard role in Punjab’s battle against the novel coronavirus, as many as 3,803 cops have been tested positive for the virus since the outbreak of the pandemic in the state, while 20 officials, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), have succumbed to the deadly contagion.
Even as 2,186 police personnel, accounting for 57 percent out of the total infected, have fully recovered from the contagion, 1,597 cops, including 38 gazetted officers and 21 Station House Officers (SHOs), are presently undergoing treatment.
Among those who have recovered, more than 20 police officials have donated their blood plasma, while more than 100 have also offered to follow the footsteps for the benefit of the society.
Nearly 32 family members of the police personnel have also contracted the virus, with another 50 police personnel, who were close contacts of the positive cases, are under self-quarantine.
To motivate and keep the spirits of the police forces at the forefront high, the top police officials are personally contacting the COVID-19 positive cops, undergoing treatment in various hospitals or in home quarantine, and motivating them.
As of now, the top police officials have telephonically contacted more than 500 COVID-19 positive cops undergoing treatment in various hospitals or home quarantined.
All ADGP and IGP rank officers made calls as part of the mass contact programme, in line with similar efforts undertaken in recent weeks personally by the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta, with the aim of keeping the infected personnel in high spirits and motivated to fight the disease.
The senior officers, involved in the exercise, enquired about the health and well-being of the personnel and also assured them of every possible support. Police officials undergoing treatment expressed satisfaction over the efforts and support given by the Government and Police Department from time to time.
“Every police official of Punjab Police is my personal responsibility and this contact programme will continue in the future also, till every COVID positive policeman in the State is nursed back to health,” said the state DGP Dinkar Gupta.
As a welfare measure, all COVID-19 positive police personnel are being provided health kits recommended by doctors, which include digital thermometer, pulse oximeter, sanitizers, medicines, vitamins etc.
These kits cost Rs 1700 including taxes, but are provided free of cost to the positive reported police officials.
Although the frontline police forces are overstrained due to additional responsibilities and apprehensions of exposure, the morale and motivation level of the personnel to the junior most rank is high.