74th Independence Day | 350 police personnel kept in isolation for August 15 guard of honour duties: Report

Representative Image

Independence Day celebrations will be markedly different this year, just like every other celebration in the country since the month of March, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. As the global crisis is still far from over, 350 police personnel who will constitute the guard of honour have been kept in isolation at the newly constructed police colony in Delhi Cantonment.

The guard of honour will be inspected by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15. The Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort will be graced by other dignitaries as well.

The 350 policemen on guard of honour duty range from constables to DCPs and are lodged at different quarters. They are all in complete isolation and are not allowed to come in physical contact with any outsider, to avoid contracting the novel coronavirus disease.

According to a Hindustan Times report, the body temperatures of the policemen are being checked every day; they are being examined for other symptoms of COVID-19 as well.

Speaking about the arrangements, a senior police officer said: “We are adopting this for the safety of every person that day. We are taking all the necessary precautions. It has been more than eight days in quarantine. Inside the complex, our officers are following all the necessary social distancing norms. No one has shown any symptoms.”

Dr Amit Tyagi, Chief Medical Officer, Police Training College, said isolating the officers and constables was necessary as they come from various backgrounds. Several of them have to use public transports to travel to work daily, while some also live in barracks erected at police stations. Such policemen are exposed to the contagious virus and run a risk of getting infected. Therefore, keeping them in isolation was necessary to ensure the high-profile guests coming in their contact on Independence Day do not contract the disease from them.

Besides, there are back-ups for every person. For instance, only two parade commanders of DCP rank will be taking part in the ceremony, but four officers of the rank have been kept in isolation. Their quarantine period will end on August 15.