Two cops die of coronavirus on Saturday; death toll reaches 112

A 54-year-old police sub inspector attached to Kandivali police station and a 48year-old head constable attached to Dahisar police station succumbed to COVID-19 while undergoing treatment at Seven Hills Hospital in Andheri on Saturday. While sub inspector Shivaji Nangare, 54, succumbed to the virus on Saturday evening, Sandip Tawde, a resident of Dahisar, breathed his last at Seven Hills Hospital in the wee hours Saturday. The death toll in Mumbai Police force reached 112 with these two deaths on Saturday.

Police said, Nangare, who had tested positive on April 16, was on duty when he contracted the virus. Police said he had comorbidities and had decided not to take the vaccine. Nangare, who was a victim of 2006 trains blasts in Mumbai had suffered internal injuries, and had undergone a major surgery a few years ago, which is why he opted out of the vaccinations.

Meanwhile, Tawde, who had been assigned court-related works, had tested positive on April 24. On April 28, his health deteriorated and was shifted from general ward to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Three days later, after he was feeling better, he was shifted back to the general ward.

"Tawde's oxygen saturation kept dwindling below 92 and failed to reach the normal level between 95 and 100. He had developed breathing issues due to the fluctuating oxygen levels and was shifted to the ICU again last week, after which he succumbed to the virus in the wee hours of Saturday, at around 3 am," said Pravin Patil, senior inspector of Dahisar police station.

A total of 434 police personnel, of which 37 are officers, succumbed in the State and 3388 (including 382 from Mumbai) are undergoing treatment.