2 more Delhi Police personnel test positive for coronavirus

New Delhi: Two more Delhi Police personnel who were part of a Crime Branch team probing the Tablighi Jamaat case tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Friday (May 1). The two policemen were sent to quarantine centres, they said.

Earlier, a Delhi Police constable of the Crime Branch who visited the Nizamuddin headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat in south Delhi had tested positive for coronavirus.

The constable had visited the Markaz building in connection with the probe into the religious congregation held there last month where many people were reported to have contracted the infection.

On March 31, the Crime Branch lodged an FIR against seven people, including Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, on a complaint by the SHO of Nizamuddin for holding a religious congregation here allegedly in violation of the lockdown orders and not maintaining social distancing to contain the spread of coronavirus.

After two policemen, who were on lockdown enforcement duty in northeast Delhi, tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, Special Commissioner of Police (operations) Muktesh Chander wrote a letter to Special CP (armed forces) Robin Hibu informing him about the development.

"They were residing at barrack number 5 of the Khajoori Khas police station. In the same barrack, the staff of commissioner of police reserve was also residing. It is important that they are also tested for COVID-19 and are quarantined immediately. Similar precaution need to be taken for all CP reserve staff at other locations too," the letter said.

More than 21 Delhi Police personnel have tested positive for coronavirus so far.