Maharashtra State government has officially requested the Central Government for the deployment of 20 companies of Central Armed Police Forces(CAPF) to fight the raging coronavirus pandemic in the state.
The request from the Maharashtra state government comes after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asked Prime Minister Modi during his video conference that the state be given central forces as the state’s police forces were under extreme strain battling the coronavirus.
State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has put out a tweet today informing about the state’s decision to seek centre’s help in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis in the state.
“With several police personnel testing positive for #COVIDー19, long & challenging work hours are leaving Maharashtra police stretched. Ramzan Eid is also on May 25th. To help maintain law & order the state has requested 20 companies of CAPF to be deployed,” Deshmukh video along with the video message.
With several police personnel testing positive for #COVIDー19, long & challenging work hours are leaving Maharashtra police stretched. Ramzan Eid is also on May 25th. To help maintain law & order the state has requested 20 companies of CAPF to be deployed.#MaharashtraGovtCares pic.twitter.com/iJipnxeaQK
— ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) May 13, 2020
In a video message attached to his tweet, Deshmukh said that the rampant infection and fatigue among the overstretched Maharashtra police forces has caused the state government to put in a request with the central government for the requirement of about 20 companies of central forces to ensure law and order is maintained in the state.
“The incessant fight against coronavirus has rendered our state police forces fatigued and exhausted. Besides, we also have Ramzan Eid(May 25) here. It is imperative for us to maintain law and order and for that to happen, cops need some rest. So have asked for 20 companies (2000 cops) of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF),” said Anil Deshmukh in a video message.
Maharashtra Police personnel affected by COVID-19
The coronavirus crisis in Maharashtra is particularly grim, with as many as 1025 police personnel already tested positive for the contagion, said a Times Now report. As the infection makes inroads into the state’s police force, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was left with no options but to approach the central government and seek their assistance in getting additional police forces and alleviate the pressure on the state’s law enforcement personnel.
A couple of days back, in a series of tweets, Deshmukh released significant details about the extent of coronavirus outbreak in the state along with raising alarm over the occurrence of widespread infection among the state’s police forces. Deshmukh had posted that about 887 police officers were affected by COVID-19 and 7 of them had succumbed to the deadly contagion.
