Police susceptible, Thane activist ask for gears

Manoj Badgeri | TNN | Updated: Apr 18, 2020, 19:14 IST

Photo for representative purpose only

THANE: With as many as over 100 police staff in Mumbai and Thane either infected with Covid-19 or put into quarantine over the last few days, activists have now pointed out the need for equipping these frontline warriors with adequate protection gears.
A city-based activist, Dr Mahesh Bedekar, expressed concern at the rising number of the staff, including constables and inspectors, who are performing their duty outdoors affected to the virus at the time when they are already grappling with the arduous task of enforcing lockdown in addition to their regular duties. "It is imperative for the staff posted especially in red zones be provided with adequate safety gears so that they aren’t exposed to infections," he said.
Meanwhile, senior officials admitted the situation and added the staff was provided with masks and sanitising equipment.
“Our force is working in a completely new situation and those deployed on 'bandobast' duties are often interacting with a multitude of people without any idea whether they are infected or not. Many are equipped with only a mask for protection and may not always carry a sanitizer. Unlike the protection gears that other professionals like the doctors are given, an average police person on the field doesn’t have any protective gear,” admitted a senior official requesting anonymity.