The Border Security Force or BSF tops the list with 195 jawans testing positive for COVID-19
Security forces units that have been stationed in Delhi and working to contain the coronavirus pandemic, are often bearing the brunt of the disease in the line of duty. Together, they account for nearly 500 cases being reported from various units of paramilitary forces. Three districts of Delhi account for a chunk of the cases -- Central, South East and North district. Now all units have formed cells to monitor the cases and contain the spread of virus.
The Border Security Force or BSF tops the list with 195 jawans testing positive. A majority of them have been linked to Delhi. Two BSF jawans who were infected died on Thursday.
"As of now, there are 191 active cases and almost 130 of them have been linked to Delhi as our unit was deployed with the Delhi Police in for managing law and order," a senior officer at the BSF Headquarters told NDTV.
The BSF's COVID-19 cell is monitoring health of all jawans who are in quarantine.
The Central Reserve Police Force is the second unit hit hard by the virus. So far, the CRPF has 159 coronavirus positive cases and nearly 900 of its personnel are in quarantine in Delhi.
Two CRPF jawans who were deputed with the Union Home Ministry also tested positive. "One of them is a driver other a constable. We have taken all precautions and traced all their contacts," a senior officer in CRPF said.
The CRPF has also created a COVID-19 cell to keep track of the growing number of cases.
"Real time risk assessment is being carried out to obviate any recurrence. Integrated teams of medical and administrative cadres are on the job to ensure a holistic response," AP Maheshwari, the Director General of CRPF, told NDTV.
The spread of the virus, he said, is well contained in CRPF despite high- risk deployments in the hot spots.
"New strategies, which include on-the spot protection and sanitisation while on return from duty or leave and rotational deployment, have paid dividends," he said.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police has reported 82 coronavirus cases so far. On Thursday, eight jawans from a company deployed with the Delhi Police tested positive.
So far, 80 jawans of Delhi Police also have tested positive of Corona virus.
The Central Industrial Security Force, which is guarding all strategic buildings in Delhi, has around 50-odd cases.
Earlier this week, two jawans posted with a company deployed with the Delhi Police tested positive.
The Shashtra Seema Bal or SSB has the lowest number of COVID related cases -- only 14 jawans tested positive so far.
"They were all deputed in law and order duty along with Delhi Police," SSB Director General Rajesh Chandra said. Sixteen companies of SSB are requisitioned for law and order in Delhi.
"When searches in Markaz Nizamuddin were being conducted, our men were deputed in the outer cordon. Some of them tested positive," Mr Chandra said.
The home ministry has asked all the security forces to boost the immunity of all jawans and provide proper supplements after consultation with experts.