Coronavirus: Over 100 cops from Ludhiana city police including commissioner tested

Till Sunday, there have been four positive cases in Ludhiana city police, including the deceased ACP, his gunman constable (from Ferozepur), an SHO (a woman sub-inspector posted at Basti Jodhewal) and her driver, who is an ASI and native of district Gurdaspur but resides in Ludhiana.

Police sources confirmed to The Indian Express that at least 13 gazetted officers of Ludhiana city police too underwent testing. While some of them were in contact with ACP Kohli, others were on lockdown duty at wholesale Sabzi Mandi, the place from where it is suspected that ACP got infected. The rest got themselves tested as a precautionary measure because of public dealing. These officers include Police Commissioner Rakesh Agrawal, three DCPs (law & order, detective & traffic), four ADCPs (HQ, PBI, ADCP city-1 and Investigation) and five ACPs (traffic, crime against women, central, Industrial Area-B & an officer given additional charge of ACP, North).

Wife of ADCP (investigation), who is posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner (development) in Ludhiana also underwent testing.
ADCP (PBI) Dr Sachin Gupta, also the nodal officer for COVID-19, Ludhiana Police, said that while some officers were in touch with Kohli, others were in public dealing. “Reports of all officers tested have returned negative. This has come as a major relief for our force. After ACP Kohli was tested positive, some officers who were in touch with him had already quarantined themselves at home. Others went for test as a precaution, including me. Some were posted on lockdown duty at Sabzi Mandi, so we did not take any risk.”

Ludhiana city police force has strength of over 4,400.

After an infected thief was caught by Focal Point police station cops, 23 police personnel, including SHO Inspector Mohammad Jameel, were tested. All of them tested negative.

After ACP Kohli tested positive, 21 of his police contacts were tested. “Of 21 cops tested who were in touch with Kohli, 13 reports have returned negative. Two cops including SHO Basti Jodhewal (woman sub-inspector) and his gunman (constable from Ferozepur) tested positive. Some reports are pending,” said ADCP (special branch) Jagatpreet Singh.

Tracing infected SHO’s contacts

Police now has a contact list of 126, including 30 police officials, who had come in touch with the Basti Jodhewal SHO. Rest of her contacts include family, friends, arthiyas (commission agents with whom she held meetings at Sabzi Mandi) etc.

Entire staff of Basti Jodhewal police station has also been tested.

After SHO’s driver (an ASI) also tested positive, his 15 police contacts have been traced too.

ADCP Jagatpreet Singh said, “All test reports of SHO and her ASI driver’s contacts are awaited.”

Speaking to The Indian Express, Rakesh Agrawal, city police commissioner, said, “I got myself tested voluntarily because it is important to keep oneself safe and to keep the morale of the force up.”