Take preventive steps to minimize health risks: Delhi police chief to officials

Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava on Wednesday instructed the personnel of the force to take preventive measures in order minimize health risks faced by them as well as the arrested people and jail inmates in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

In a letter addressed to the DCPs of districts and other divisions, which was sent through the legal cell of the Delhi Police, he said that all investigating officers when effecting arrests must immediately provide a mask to the arrested person and then proceed to orally examine the accused to establish any history of international travel or contact with such person.

The investigating officers have been instructed to immediately measure body temperature of the detained person through laser thermometer and further ask the arrested person about his general health, specifically about fever, body-ache and sore throat to prima facie find a connect to COVID-19.

"Immediately after arrest, the person must be straightaway taken to hospital for a detailed medical checkup and in case the arrested person shows any symptoms of COVID-19, he must not be brought to the police station or court and the senior officer must be informed about the situation at once," he said in the letter.

The investigating officers through senior police officials must immediately take steps to isolate or quarantine the arrested person if he shows any symptoms of COVID-19. the investigating officers have been instructed to follow all directions to maintain hygiene practices to protect himself from getting infected, the Delhi police chief said.

According to the letter, all investigating officers have been asked to strictly follow hygiene practices and wear masks while police lockups should also be sanitized on a regular basis.