All police personnel on duty

during the lockdown for the coronavirus outbreak in Chhattisgarh will be tested in a phased manner as per directions of the state Director General of Police DM Awasthi, a senior official said on Monday.

In a letter to senior superintendents of police (SSPs) and SPs, Awasthi said police have been in the frontline enforcing the lockdown and, therefore, it was appropriate that they be tested as a precautionary measure after consulting the respective district health officer, the official informed.

As per the DGP's instructions, the tests should be done in a phased manner and those above the age of 45, with diabetes, heart ailments etc, should be picked first, he added.

"Those who were not engaged in lockdown duty may be exempted, the DGP has said. Some 72,000 police personnel have been deployed across the state to enforce the lockdown," the official said.

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