Beneath the khaki grieves a soul 

CHENNAI: While the medical professionals are being rightfully hailed as Covid warriors, are we giving due recognition to the men and women in khaki who strive under the scorching sun to keep the public indoors? A few personnel share to Express, their tales of grief and fear.

“When the pandemic began, I was sure that soon I would contract the virus since I spend at least five to six hours on the road, talking to strangers everyday. As I stay with my family, I was very scared. I can’t bear if something happens to my family,” says P Selvakumar, a police constable in the city.

Nearly 100 police personnel have died due to Covid-19 since April 2020. “Two months before the election campaign, I sent my family to my wife’s native knowing that we will be posted on duty in heavily crowded places. It has been around five months since I met them,” says a 40-year-old head constable attached to the traffic wing who has a 68-year-old mother and two kids.

Several personnel Express spoke said that people view them as villians for stopping them at checkpoints. and get irritated. News of their colleagues succumbing to the pandemic attacks their resolve further. “When Assistant Commissioner of Police J Easwaran died, his batchmates and colleagues lifted the body and provided police honours. Only a policeman would come to the aid of another. No one else will come to our help,” said a senior police officer.

He added that the general opinion of the police among the public has been tarnished, and any attempt to salvage it will soon be met by some viral video of a personnel harassing someone. “Some think that we have special privileges. Even our family members run from pillar to post for oxygen cylinders, Remdesivir vials and ICU beds,” added the officer. On Wednesday alone, the city police booked 3,502 cases and seized 4,772 vehicles.

Rs 9 crore released for families of personnel
Chennai: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday said that Rs 25 lakh each has been given to kin of 13 police personnel who succumbed to Covid. In a statement, Stalin said that 84 police personnel had lost their lives to the pandemic and solatium has already been paid to family members of 13 persons. The Chief Minister on Thursday also released Rs 9 crore for giving solatium to kin of 36 more deceased police personnel.