Over 1,129 police personnel, including a few IPS officers, have tested positive for the SARS CoV-2 infection in Greater Chennai City Police.
As many as 54 personnel are under treatment in city hospitals.
Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the city, the police personnel along with other front-line workers have been deployed on duty to identify, prevent and contain the pandemic in various places. They have been out on the road to enforce the lockdown which was announced to prevent the spread of the infection.
Police sources said as on Monday, 444 of them have been discharged and have rejoined the duty. As many as 631 police personnel are under home and institutional quarantine.
Commissioner of Police A.K. Viswanathan said: “Police personnel who have slight illness have been asked to take leave. Those who tested positive have been in quarantine for 28 days. Even after that, we say only those who feel mentally and physically fit can return to duty.”
S. Balamurali, an inspector attached to the Mambalam police station, was the first police person in the city to die after testing COVID-19 positive in mid June.
