Punjab: 65 ex-policemen join fight against coronavirus, help in implementing curfew

Setting an example amid the crisis triggered by the coronavirus outbreak, 65 retired policemen, including the father of a Kargil martyr, are assisting Punjab's Rupnagar police in implementing the curfew restrictions.

Among them is a former deputy superintendent of police (DSP), 12 retired inspectors, 16 sub-inspectors (SI) and 21 assistant sub-inspectors (ASI).

They have been deputed at 16 check-points, Rupnagar Senior Superintendent of Police Swapan Sharma said.

Once a policeman always a policeman, the SSP said in a release while lauding their dedication, adding that their experience and capabilities will further enhance the ability to ensure effective policing.

The will to serve the nation remains as strong as ever in our hearts, says Kargil martyr Sarbjit Singh's father Pritam Singh, who is a retired head constable.

For us, the nation stands supreme. It is a new kind of threat that we are facing and I am happy to render any service which eases the burden of my brothers in khaki, he said.

For 74-years-old former inspector Gurmail Singh, it is an excellent opportunity to pick up from where he left in 2004.

It's our fortune that once again we got a chance to serve our society. We may not have the same agility but surely have the experience and will to defeat this pandemic, he said.

These are unprecedented times and we are willing to do our best to complement state efforts to mitigate this threat, said retired sub-inspector Daleep Singh.

Retired sub-inspector Naseeb Chand, who was injured in a crossfire during a counter-insurgency operation, is happy to be back in the line of duty.

Who else, if not us, will come down to relieve the huge burden that's fallen on our police force. I am proud to have served the Punjab Police and back to do my bit in current times in ensuring a tough fight against coronavirus, he said.

I will teach the new boys in the police force on how to deal with emergency situations and curfew enforcement," says the former sub-inspector Satvir Singh.