Ponda cops terrified over covid cases in police station

NT NETWORK

Ponda

Two more personnel from the Ponda police station tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday taking the tally of total positive cases in the Ponda police station to 28.

Due to the rising number of COVID cases in the Ponda police station, the cops are scared to stay in the barracks, as there is no scope in the barracks for social distancing or following other guidelines related to COVID-19 issued by the government, with no proper facilities available there.

As per the information available, policemen, who had tested negative initially have now tested positive for the virus during the second test, with staffers fearing that the infection could spread further. Some policemen said that either a staff member could be the carrier or the virus could exist in the barracks, which the staffers are presently using on a daily basis.

After some of the cops tested positive last week, many other staff members have avoided going home and quarantined themselves in the police station fearing the spread of the disease to their family members. They have been staying in the barracks since the last week and with no chance to maintain social distance there or sanitise the barracks on a daily basis, the police feel that the barracks might have become a contamination zone.

It may be noted that on July 1, three police staff including the Ponda police inspector had tested positive for COVID following which over 150 staff members from the police station had got themselves tested out of which 15 more were found to be positive on July 2.

Since then, the number of cases has been rising each day and along with policemen, their family members too are testing positive for the virus. According to sources, 30 civilians linked to the Ponda police station have been infected till date and it includes family members of the police staff.

The police staff who have tested positive include five home guards, 20 policemen comprising nine constables, three lady police constables, three hawaldars, three police sub-inspectors, one police inspector and three staffers from the special branch at the Ponda police station.