Raj cop to return to duty after recovering

JAIPUR: Ram Charan Soran, a 28-year-old policeman, was among the first responders ensuring essentials were supplied to the residents so that they do not have to step out when a hard lockdown was imposed in Jaipur’s Covid-19 hot spot of Ramganj to check the spread of the pandemic.

He regularly visited the area with teams of health care workers and those distributing food packets. He was also on patrolling duty in Ramganj for some days and worked overtime until April 6 when he developed a mild fever. His worst fears came true four days later when he was tested positive.

Soran said he was shocked to know he had contracted the disease but had to come to terms with it. “Whatever had to happen had happened,” said Soran, who joined the Rajasthan police in 2018. “Some of us went for voluntary testing because we were working in a hot spot area. My report came on April 10,” said Soran. He was discharged from Jaipur’s SMS hospital on April 23 and quarantined the same day after he tested negative for the disease twice. He will be discharged as per protocol on May 7.

He said he got up early and did yoga during his hospitalisation. “After that, it was mostly about watching videos on my mobile phone and chatting with friends and family. Doctors came to check us twice daily,” he said.

Soran, who was the first policeman to contract the disease in Jaipur, was more worried about the 15 policemen he stayed with at a barrack, and only one of them contracted the disease. Both of them have since recovered and are looking forward to returning to work once their quarantine is over. “I want to return to work,” said Soran. He added he was not scared of returning to Ramganj. “I will perform my duty without fear,” he said.

Ramganj had reported 598 out of Jaipur’s 924 Covid-19 cases as of Saturday and since then, the area-wise break-up hasn’t been unavailable. Two other policemen, who contracted the disease in Jaipur have also recovered.