Madukkarai police station closed as 8 cops test positive for virus

Coimbatore: The Madukkarai police station was closed for disinfection after eight cops tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday.
The two special sub-inspectors (SSIs) and six constables are undergoing treatment in the ESI hospital, said a senior police officer. “After a constable involved in patrolling on the L&T Bypass tested positive, 55 cops from Madukkarai and KG Chavadi police stations had undergone testing at the Arisipalayam Primary Health Centre (PHC) on June 7. The results were announced on Wednesday,” he said.
Health department officials are collecting samples from family members and contacts of the personnel.
With this, the number of cops infected by the virus in the rural areas has reached 18 - seven each from Thudiyalur and Madukkarai, two from the Kottur police station and one each from Sulur and Annur. Ten cops of the city police have been tested positive so far.
The Ukkadam police station was sanitised after a head constable tested positive on Wednesday.
The infected cops were deployed at check posts, markets, shops and involved in vehicle checks to ensure social distancing, superintendent of police (SP) Ara Arularasu said. “So, it is difficult to identify the primary source of infection. I have asked one-third of personnel in stations at Sulur, Madukkarai and Thudiyalur to undergo home quarantine for seven days. Rural armed reserve personnel will share their workload.”
As a precautionary measure, the 33 stations outside the city limit will function with only seven personnel. “We will not allow visitors inside the stations. Temporary shelters will be set up in front of the stations to receive complainants. Only those arrested and remanded in judicial custody will be brought inside the stations. An officer will handle the accused till they are lodged in the sub-jail. The cops have also been instructed to issue bail on the spot itself instead of bringing people to the station,” Arularasu said.