Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the JJ Marg Police station has emerged as the worst-affected police station in Mumbai. The police station has a staff of 200 cops but is working at half its strength. 26 policemen, including 15 officers, have tested positive for COVID-19 and are in hospital, 49 policemen have been ordered to be in home quarantine, and close to 33 cops above the age of 55 years have been sent on leave.
The pandemic has affected JJ Marg police station the most among the 93 police stations in the city. It is followed by Sahar police station which, has 14 policemen, including seven police officers, admitted to various hospitals due to COVID-19. Two weeks ago, six constables from Vakola police station had tested positive for coronavirus.
The first case of coronavirus in Mumbai Police emerged in the third week of April. Since then, 230 police personnel have tested positive for COVID-19. Among the infected policemen across the state, 47 per cent are Mumbai Police officers.
After three policemen succumbed to the pandemic, the state government stepped up, and the home ministry sanctioned compensation of Rs. 50 lakh to each of the families. Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had announced a government job for the next of kin of cops who died of COVID-19.
A police officer from JJ Marg Police station told TOI that the staff strength might go further down as they are tracing the high-risk contacts of infected cops. He added that due to the depleted workforce, it is difficult to handle places like Dongri and other pockets where people are not willing to cooperate or follow distancing norms.
Meanwhile, with the number of COVID-19 cases going up, cops have reportedly stopped going home. A Sahar police officer said that they haven't seen their families for a month as 14 of their colleagues had tested positive.
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