Uttar Pradesh: Nine GRP men on leave found Covid-19 positive

LUCKNOW: The Covid-19 outbreak among Government Railway Police (GRP) ranks at Charbagh Railway station may escalate into a crisis. Nine jawans sent on leave to their homes in different district were found to be positive for novel coronavirus infection on Monday.
These cops were among 50 asked to vacate barracks and go home on 12-day leave for home quarantine on Sunday after Covid-19 outbreak infected 16 personnel in eight days since May 24.
Of these, 20 got themselves voluntarily tested at Red Cross Society on Friday. However, they went home after being asked to go on leave before the reports arrived. The test reports released on Monday found nine positive and rest negative.
Health officers said that of nine diagnosed with Covid-19, eight went home in Meerut, Saharanpur, Hamirpur, Ayodhya, Bulandshahar and Hardoi, while one stayed back at GRP lines.
"Those who travelled posed risk to others whom they may have come in contact on way and to their families," said CMO Dr Narendra Agarwal. "We also don't know the status of 30 others who went without any test. In case, anyone among them is positive, it poses a risk," he said
"Ideally jawans should have not left Lucknow. Had GRP authorities requested, we would have made arrangements to quarantine them at one of the centres in the city," he added.
So far, 25 GRP constables, out of 240 at Charbagh, have been found to be having Covid-19.
Barracks to be vacated, itized
They were deployed for management of migrants coming from different states through Shramik trains. The orders to vacate barracks was given for sanitising them.
SP GRP, Saumitra Yadav said “Only cops living in barracks where no cases have been found were asked to go on leave. Even after writing to CMO to inform us about protocol, no officer has visited or replied so far. Health authorities have not even declared the area a hotspot. We even organised a testing camp on our own.”