CRPF 31 battalion office in Delhi sealed day after Jawan succumbs to Covid; all to be test

As the 31st Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has become the epicentre of coronavirus in the national capital with more than 40 cases so far, the office has been sealed on Wednesday. The development comes after a 55-year-old CRPF personnel died on Tuesday due to coronavirus infection. This is the first death among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) or the paramilitary forces that function under the Union Home Ministry.

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"All jawans of 31st Battalion who tested positive came in contact with one jawan who tested COVID-19 positive during initial days. All personnel of this Battalion have undergone tests," a senior CRPF official told ANI. Today 12 more jawans from the same Battalion were tested COVID-19 positive. With this the total number of jawans who have tested COVID-19 positive has reached 47 in CRPF including one Chief Medical officer.

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According to the sources in CRPF, the increase in cases started after a nursing assistant tested positive in CRPF's Mayur Vihar camp. On April 24, nine jawans tested positive and the next day 15 people from the same Battalion, including one civilian who was working as a plumber on a contractual basis, reported COVID-19 positive. Apart from this, the Chief Medical Officer of CRPF who was deployed in Delhi's Saket area has also tested positive for coronavirus.

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According to official communication, the CRPF has said that all Companies should ensure placing sanitiser machines in each and every duty vehicle so that jawans can sanitise themselves while on duty, apart from demanding more vehicles from the concerned authorities in Delhi.

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