BHUBANESWAR: As Bhubaneswar struggles to break the Covid chain, Commissionerate Police is grappling with the crisis as many of its senior officers in the Capital are down with coronavirus infection. However, it has not deterred its enforcement activities.
An Additional DCP ranked officer, at least five ACPs and five inspectors in the Capital have tested positive. An inspector has been admitted to a hospital as a precautionary measure.
Police stations like Badagada, Kharvel Nagar, Tamando and others in the Capital have witnessed a surge in Covid-19 cases among the staff. Tamando police station is functioning with only three officers and eight constables against the sanctioned strength of 34 as the remaining personnel have contracted the disease in the last few days.
Other police stations are faced with a similar challenge as the staff are either in isolation or recovering from the infection. Over 400 personnel in Bhubaneswar and over 200 in Cuttack have been infected by Covid so far. Recently, a DIG rank officer and another IPS officer posted in Bhubaneswar were under isolation but later tested negative for the virus. An ADG rank officer posted in Cuttack is also under isolation.
Notwithstanding the crisis, Commissionerate Police has enhanced the enforcement drive against Covid violations in the Twin City. In the last 24 hours, as many as 989 people were penalised under Bhubaneswar Urban Police District for violating Covid guidelines. “We appeal everyone to follow social distancing and mask wearing guidelines to fight the pandemic. Stringent action will be taken against the violators,” said Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash.
DCPs of Traffic, Security and Armed Police wings are leading the enforcement activities in the State Capital under the supervision of Bhubaneswar DCP. “Apart from carrying out enforcement activities during daytime, checking is being conducted thoroughly between 5 pm and 8 pm everyday as during these hours there is a rush in the market places,” said Dash.