2 deaths in BSF, forces’ case count nears 500

THESE WERE FIRST CASUALTIES DUE TO THE PANDEMIC IN THE BORDER GUARDING FORCE, BSF, AND CISF, WHICH GUARDS SEVERAL AIRPORTS AND THE DELHI METRO

nNEW DELHI: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday said that two of its personnel succumbed to the coronavirus disease, while a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawan deployed at Mumbai airport died, even as the total Covid-19 cases in central paramilitary forces reached close to 500.

These were first casualties due to the pandemic in the border guarding force, BSF, and CISF, which guards several airports and the Delhi Metro. Both the BSF personnel died this week in Delhi.

While the BSF reported 41 new cases on Thursday, the Indo-tibetan Border Police (ITBP) reported 21 fresh infections, CISF 10, and the Sashastra Seema Bal five.

Till Wednesday, the tally of Covid-19 cases in the paramilitary forces was around 400, according to official government data.

BSF spokesperson Shubhendu Bhardwaj said in a statement that the first jawan was a critically ill patient, and died after he contracted the infection while at a super-speciality hospital for treatment. The second jawan died at Safdarjung hospital on May 4. His Covid-19 test was done after his death, prior to the post-mortem examination. The result confirming the infection came only on Wednesday.

The BSF’S fresh 41 new infections have taken the force’s Covid-19 tally to 193 across the country. “Prahari pariwar (the BSF family) is grief-stricken with deaths of two personnel during this pandemic,” a BSF statement said.

“Braving the challenges of securing frontiers, working with civil administration and while shouldering other essential responsibilities, 41 new Covid-19 positive cases have been reported since yesterday. Most of these BSF personnel have been aiding civil police in duties during this critical phase of the Covid-19 pandemic,” it added.

The ITBP, which guards the India-china Line of Actual Control (LAC), reported 37 fresh cases, and has now 82 active coronavirus cases.