Commendable job by police
As the New Year dawned, it brought with it new hopes and aspirations among the residents of Kolkata. With corona threat lurking around, policemen kept a tight vigil so that the picnickers maintained social distance and wore masks to avoid infection.
#WearTheMask# campaign of Kolkata Police was launched in advance so that people did not lower their guard during social and New Year gatherings.
Much before, during Durga puja, pandal organizers had been instructed not to let anybody inside without wearing a mask. All these steps had a positive effect in controlling the spread of infection in the city.
Even our valiant Commissioner of Police got infected working on the frontline, but he kept serving the people while keeping himself quarantined.
2020 was a year that everyone would like to forget as it brought untold miseries to the city. Already grappling with the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, Cyclone Amphan rubbed more salt into their ‘bleeding wounds’.
Thanks to the civic and police authorities, they rose to the occasion and rescued the beleaguered residents of the city. But corona tightened its grip and wreaked havoc in the city. Many citizens got hospitalised, some unfortunates also lost their lives.
But amidst the adversity, health workers and policemen stood like a wall serving the needy in difficult times. As healthcare workers know who is positive or negative, they take adequate protection against the disease but many policemen on the streets, unaware of the asymptomatic threat, get infected.
Their job became more difficult with only the mask being their first line of defence. Despite all the precautions, many got infected with the COVID while performing their duties and had to pay with their lives. Serving the city people when everyone was forced to confine themselves in their homes, 22 police personnel lost their lives.
Even after getting infected, many policemen donated plasma so that lives of critical patients could be saved. Realising their valour, the government ensured that the infected cops and their families were treated free of cost, an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh was awarded and a government job for their kin who lost their life while fighting corona.
Strict lockdown became the new normal as people remained shut in their house for months together. And while coming out, they started avoiding public transport for the fear of getting infected and more private vehicles came on the road, complicating the tasks of policemen. However, under the leadership of Anuj Sharma, the Commissioner of Police, they handled the challenges with great ease.
Despite the threat of corona, the Kolkata Police organized the Tejashwini workshop for the women enthusiasts. With the safety of women being their prime concern, they devised an innovative way and organized the session in virtual mode.
Their Cyber and Welfare cells did commendable jobs during this period bringing in more glory for the force. Several honours boosted their morale and resolve to work amid the pandemic threat. Hope with the arrival of vaccines, people of the city would be able to breathe properly and lead their normal life.
Satya Swaroop
Managing Editor
