Haryana DSP succumbs to Covid, police fatalities in state rise to 21

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Police lost a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) to Covid on Sunday, increasing the number of police personnel who have succumbed to the infection after the pandemic hit the state last year to 21.

The deceased DSP, Virender Singh, 50, was posted as secretary of the regional transport authority (RTA) in Narnaul.

A police spokesperson said he was undergoing treatment for the past two weeks at a private hospital in Rohtak. Before being posted as secretary, RTA, Virender Singh was Hansi DSP.

Condoling the demise of DSP

Virender Singh, DGP Manoj Yadava said that Haryana Police have lost yet another dedicated and hardworking officer.

Earlier, Ashok Dahiya, DSP posted at Badli in Jhajjar, had succumbed to Covid during treatment on April 26. The police said 21 police personnel of Haryana have lost their lives to Covid so far. This year alone, 1,607 policemen have been infected, while 2,970 were diagnosed with Covid in 2020.

As many as 48,373 cops have taken the first dose of vaccine, while 30,130 have taken their second dose.

Haryana Police have also created Covid care facilities at the Police Lines for the cops who are frontline warriors in the battle against the pandemic.

“Putting up a brave face often at great risk to themselves, Haryana cops are fighting like warriors on several fronts to counter the second wave of Covid,” the police spokesperson said.

Yamunanagar police department also witnessed a death due to coronavirus on Sunday as a 48-year-old on-duty officer from Mehlawali village succumbed to the contagion. SP Kamaldeep Goyal said Balbir Singh was working as a special police officer (SPO) at Jagadhri Sadar police station and had contracted the virus for which he was undergoing treatment, but his condition did not improve.