Over 55 NSG personnel have tested Covid-19 positive; combat commandos safe

Over 55 personnel of the country's elite counter-terrorist force National Security Guard (NSG) have been infected with Covid-19 so far, officials said on Monday.

Those infected with the coronavirus are "predominantly auxillary" or administrative staff working at the headquarters near Palam area in Delhi and the commando garrison in Manesar, Gurgaon, they said.

Top officials told news agency Press Trust of India that all the combat elements that undertake specialist counter-terrorist, counter-hijack and hostage rescue tasks are "intact and fully available" for any contingency anywhere.

The 'black cat' commandos are ready for any task as per mandate, they said.

A 33-year-old nursing staff was the first to get infected with the virus in the first week of May.

Officials said at least 57 personnel of the federal commando force have been found infected with the disease so far.

Some among them have recovered while some personnel among the positive cases were asymptomatic and detected only after contact tracing and testing, they said.

All the infected NSG personnel have been admitted to various hospitals in the national capital and adjoining cities including at the Central Armed Police Forces Referral hospital in Greater Noida.

The force was raised in 1984.

The combat arms of the NSG are segregated into five units, two Special Action Groups (SAGs) manned by officers and jawans from the Army and three SRGs comprising personnel from paramilitary forces.

The SAGs undertake counter-terrorist and anti-hijack operations.

Some component of the special rangers group (SRG) also undertake counter-terrorist operations under the command of the SAG units and they primarily render VIP security duties for high-risk personalities.

The personalities include Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and chief ministers of various states like Yogi Adityanath of Uttar Pradesh, Sarbananda Sonowal of Assam and some former CMs like Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav.