No leave for police as personnel necessary during Unlock-1: Gujarat govt

The Gujarat Home Department has asked the state Director General of Police (DGP) and other senior officers not to grant any leave to the police personnel, saying that their presence was necessary for the effective implementation of Unlock-1.

A notification issued on Thursday by the home department said that the presence of all the available police force was necessary for the implementation of the Centre's guidelines for the phased re-opening of coronavirus-induced lockdown or Unlock-1 that came into effect from June 1.

"For the effective implementation of Unlock-1, it is necessary that police personnel remain active in the field. Therefore, all the police officers as well as lower rung police personnel are hereby advised not to demand leave unless it is for medical or any other unavoidable reasons," the notification said.

The department also asked all the senior officers, including the state DGP, Range Inspector Generals and all the district Superintendents of Police, not to grant any leave to their subordinate staff, except for medical reasons or any other emergencies.

Following the Central government's guidelines, the Gujarat government had announced relaxations in lockdown starting from June 1.

As many as 29,001 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Gujarat so far. While 1,736 have died due to the infection, as many as 21,096 have been discharged.

Around 400 fresh cases of coronavirus are emerging in in the state on a daily basis since last one month.