3 fresh COVID cases in CISF, total 66 infected
New Delhi, May 11 (IANS) Three more CISF personnel tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, raising concern as the number of infected personnel in the paramilitary force rose to 66 till Monday.
With these three cases the coronavirus tally among the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel rose over 550 so far.
The three cases were reported from Ahmedabad in Gujarat where only two cases were found till Sunday. All the five Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel infected in the city were deployed at Ahmedabad airport.
One CISF trooper has recovered from the deadly novel coronavirus. The CISF personnel recovered during the last 24 hours. He is based in Mumbai.
Almost all CAPF forces working under the Ministry of Home Affairs, including the BSF, CRPF, SSB, NSG and ITBP, have been facing the COVID-19 crisis with positive cases reported across the country at their different units deployed in various duties from airport security to security of VVIPs.
Of the 66 CISF personnel infected with the virus, 32 are in Mumbai, 22 in Delhi, five each in Kolkata and Ahmedabad, and two in Greater Noida. Out of 33 infected CISF personnel in Mumbai, 29 were deputed at the Mumbai airport, two at Mumbai port, and one each at the government mint — one of the four mints in the country for the production of coins — as well as Hindustan Petroleum/Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).
Among those infected in Delhi, three were deputed at the Delhi airport and 19 at Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).In Kolkata, three CISF personnel were performing duties at Kolkata Port Trust and two at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd.
Of the CISF personnel deputed in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, one was deputed at the force’s 11 Reserve Battalion and other at its Special Security Group (SSF) Control Room in Noida.
The over 1.62 lakh strong CISF paramilitary force is mandated to provide security to major critical infrastructure in diverse areas. It provides security to nuclear installations, space establishments, airports, seaports, power plants, sensitive government buildings and heritage monuments.
Among the important responsibilities entrusted to the CISF are the DMRC, VIP security, disaster management and establishment of a Formed Police Unit (FPU) of the UN at Haiti.
The increasing number of covid cases among the CISF, as well as other CAPF or paramilitary forces is also a major concern for the government when the novel coronavirus pandemic has claimed over 2,206 deaths and over 67,000 infected persons across the country.
–IANS
rak/in
