CRPF DG goes into self-quarantine after indirect contact with COVID-19-positive doctor

CRPF chief A P Maheshwari has gone into self-quarantine after he had an indirect contact with a doctor in the paramilitary force, who had tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Saturday.

"A CRPF officer had tested positive for COVID-19. All personnel in contact with the officer have been quarantined.

"The DG had an indirect contact with the officer and according to protocol, he is observing quarantine," Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) spokesperson DIG Moses Dhinakaran said.

Another official said the director general (DG) of the country's largest paramilitary force, with about 3.25 lakh personnel in its ranks, went into self-quarantine as a precautionary measure, but was in constant touch with his officers over various operational issues, including the battle against COVID-19, from home.

A senior doctor of the force had tested positive for the virus on April 2 and officials said Maheshwari came in contact with another officer who was in touch with the medical officer.

The chief medical officer, posted in the medical wing of the Central Armed Police Forces, is kept in an isolation ward of AIIMS, Jhajjar in Haryana.

About 10 CRPF officers are in self-quarantine because of their proximity to the doctor, officials said.

Maheshwari (59) is a 1984-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre.

He took over as the CRPF chief on January 15 and has earlier served in the Union home ministry as the special secretary (internal security) and DG of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD).

Maheshwari wrote to the home ministry recently for sanction of special funds worth Rs 10 crore so that the CRPF can take a lead role in combatting the coronavirus pandemic in the country.