Three deaths in 4 days, Mumbai Police sends cops above 55 yrs on leave

The move comes after COVID-19 claimed the lives of three Mumbai Police personnel in the last three days

Mumbai Police personnel older than 55 and suffering from poor health have been sent on leave after a head constable died of the coronavirus on Monday--the third of the force to succumb to the disease in four days.

"During analysis, it came to light that the three deceased and the other police personnel currently undergoing treatment for coronavirus disease were above the age of 50," a senior Mumbai Police official told PTI on Tuesday.

"In view of this, we have decided to protect our policemen and officers - who are above 55 years of age and having some pre-existing ailment - and asked them to take leave," he said. "Because of their age, these police personnel are at a higher risk. Therefore, we are allowing them to take leave during these days," the official said.

So far, at least 107 police personnel, including 20 officers, have tested positive for coronavirus across Maharashtra and most of them are from the Mumbai Police force. 

Police offical take rest after dispersing hundreds of stranded migrant workers from outside the Bandra Railway Station in Mumbai. Photo: PTI

Meanwhile, 73-year-old mother and wife of a police constable tested positive for COVID-19 in neighbouring Navi Mumbai. The constable, who is attached to the Mumbai police, had tested positive for the infection earlier, while swab reports of his elderly mother and wife came out positive on Monday, public relations officer of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation Mahendra Konde said.

On Monday, a 57-year-old head constable of the Mumbai Police died of COVID-19. The head constable was undergoing treatment at KEM Hospital in Parel after several state-run facilities refused to admit him, another official claimed. He was attached to the Kurla traffic division. 

"He had first gone to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar on Friday after he felt feverish. Doctors there asked him to go to Kasturba Hospital, the main centre for communicable diseases. He was denied admission there and he then went to Nair Hospital which asked him to go to KEM Hospital," an official claimed.

Besides, a 52-year-old head constable succumbed to the disease on Sunday, while a 57-year-old constable died on Saturday.