Berhampur, July 1 (LocalWire): In a bid to protect police personnel from contracting COVID-19 while ferrying accused persons in their vehicles, Gajapati police authorities are mulling redesigning of their vehicles with installation of a barrier wall inside the jeep.
“The partition wall inside the vehicle will maintain distance between the accused and the police personnel and hence there will be a lesser chance of infection from them,” said SP (Gajapati) Sarah Sharma.
“We will discuss it with the collector and regional transport officer (RTO) to make a final design of the vehicles,” she said.
“We have planned to design this vehicle for at least one in each police station,” said SP (Gajapati). The district has ten police stations.
Even though the police personnel have taken preventive measures like wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and washing their hands and putting off their uniforms, they are concerned about contracting the infection, she said.
They were worried because several cops in different districts; including Ganjam, have been tested positive after contact with the accused persons, who later tested positive for COVID-19.
In Ganjam district, while at least 40 police personnel have tested COVID positive, at least ten under-trial prisoners have been found to be positive after their arrest.
“Our personnel sanitize on a regular basis, while disinfection of the police stations is done daily,” she said. Moreover, outsiders were not allowed inside the police station during the pandemic period.
“Police persons go outside the police station to talk or to receive any grievance from the complainant. During the period, they were also strictly instructed to maintain social distancing and follow other COVID regulations,” she said.
LocalWire
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