After a Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of CRPF was found Covid-19 positive and isolated and eight other officers were quarantined, the paramilitary, in a proactive measure, has now mapped a detailed list of about 200 Force personnel, including DG CRPF himself, who were traced to have contacts with the quarantined personnel. All the 200 such personnel, including top officials, have been advised self/home quarantine and are accordingly observing the protocols as a precautionary measure.
The list of the contact tracing including CRPF DG AP Maheshwari and Senior Security Advisor of MHA K Vijay Kumar have been advised home quarantine or quarantine at CRPF facilities till the test reports are out. However, these top officials have not exhibited any symptoms of the novel coronavirus, top CRPF officials said.
At least three Inspectors General, whose wards returned from foreign countries, have also been quarantined as a precautionary measure. Former CRPF DG Vikram Srivastava has also been self-quarantined as a preventive measure.
The CRPF chief, who has himself subjected to home quarantine, is supervising the work of the Force from home. While Maheshwari is currently free from any Covid-19 symptoms, he is undergoing the quarantine drill as a precautionary measure, officials said.
A CRPF spokesperson said, “A CRPF officer has tested positive for COVID-19. All personnel in contact with the officer have been quarantined. The DG CRPF had an indirect contact with the officer. As per protocol, DG is observing quarantine.”
“We will win together. The only Mantra is social distancing. To all of us let this be the religion as well as spirituality of the day. Save oneself to save others. Save humanity,” Maheshwari has tweeted tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PMO, HMOIndia and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Liaison Officer and Assistant Commandant of CRPF P Raja, who had been quarantined after Chief Medical Officer Dr Deepak was tested Covid-19 positive, is being tested for novel coronavirus. Raja’s swab samples have been sent for testing to a laboratory. The 200 CRPF personnel sent on home quarantine were traced to be in contact with Raja and further course of measures will be taken after test reports of Raja, top CRPF officials said.
Those quarantined include OPD patients attended by Dr Manish Kumar, SMO at RK Puram here, admitted patients in CRPF hospital at RK Puram, personnel who were in contact with a driver of 178 Battalion who was attached with Covid-19 positive CMO Dr Deepak, personnel in contact with another driver of 139 Battalion who was attached with Dr Manish, personnel who were in contact with quarantined Transit Officers Mess personnel Raj Kumar Paswan of 122 Battalion, and Medical/Paramedical staff of composite hospital of CRPF at RK Puram.
Another list of officials quarantined includes those who were in contact with Assistant Commandant P Raja, Liaison Officer of Senior Security Advisor of Union Home Ministry K Vijay Kumar who is a former CRPF chief. This list also includes IG (Operations) of Chhattisgarh, Section Officer to DG, DIG (Operations) Sukma, Assistant Commandant P Martin Raju, Driver Tejvir Singh and Inspector M Harikumar.
Meanwhile, around 2,500 CRPF men posted at Force's headquarters and other attached offices (CoBRA, RAF, Northern Sector) here have been barred from leaving the station without due permission from superiors but the same is being flouted by some men who are visiting their home towns in adjoining States of Delhi on weekends posing threat to those posted at the CRPF directorate here. The top brass of the CRPF is seized of the issue and is likely to initiate sharing of live locations of those posted at the headquarters here so that the personnel do not resort to unauthorised movement and virtually become coronavirus carriers, sources said.
The CRPF has already issued directives that those on leave should continue to be on leave till April 15 and those reporting back should first contact the Chief Medical Officer of the CRPF at RK Puram here before joining duty.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), whose headquarters is also located besides the CRPF Directorate at the CGO Complex, has already made provisions for sharing of live locations twice by its personnel working from home as a measure to check the spread of Covid-19 by restricting their unnecessary movements.