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100 trainee cops test +ve in Andhra Pradesh

Tirupati/Vijayawada: Nearly 100 trainee police personnel housed at the police training college near Kalyani dam at Rangampeta village near Tirupati have tested positive for Covid-19 .

Sources in the police department said about 380 policemen from different parts of the state are undergoing training at the college currently.



Police personnel from Viskhapatnam, Kurnool, Anantapur and other parts of the state who were undergoing training here, went on a vacation to their respective hometowns after the lockdown was relaxed.

After their return to the training college recently, most of them started displaying Covid-19 symptoms, prompting the training college authorities to conduct a mass Covid-19 screening for all personnel undergoing training.

Subsequently, nearly a 100 trainee cops tested positive and were immediately quarantined. Test results of more cops are awaited.

Following the report, a special sanitation drive has been taken up by the Rangampet panchayat staff at the college. Officials said there are chances of the college being shut down for a while.

Meanwhile, five police personnel attached to the Patamata police station in Vijayawada tested positive on Friday. The personnel include a woman constable and two home guards. Officials said they suspect that personnel contracted the virus from complainants who visited the station. The public has been urged to not approach the police station unless there is a complaint to be filed.

Police, however, pointed out that while necessary precautions are taken, complainants continue to visit the station. Social distancing is often difficult to enforce as cops have to take down the complaints and with many elderly colleagues on leave, there is a staff crunch, leaving them with no option but to turn up for duty.

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