254 CRPF personnel contacting COVID-19 has the force worried

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) There seems to be no respite for the Central Reserve Police Force which is battling a different enemy — COVID-19. As on Thursday, three more of its personnel were detected with the deadly virus, taking the total number of affected personnel to 254.

Out of the 254 cases, only five have recovered so far while one trooper of the paramilitary force has succumbed. There are 248 active cases in the CRPF as of now.

The 31st Battalion based in East Dehi’s Mayur Vihar has been the worst hit. This unit shares the bulk of the cases plaguing the CRPF. So much so, it has been quarantined completely and the probe too has been reportedly ordered to ascertain what has gone wrong.

CRPF is one of India’s prominent paramilitary forces stationed across sensitive areas such as terrorist-infested Jammu and Kashmir and Maoist-hit Chhattisgarh. The fForce has grown into a big organization with 246 battalions which includes RAF, COBRA and Special Duty Groups. But with an increasing number of its personnel being infected with COVID-19, it has both the force as well as the North Block worried.

–IANS

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