Coronavirus continues to take a toll on Mumbai Police, claiming the life of a sixth member of the force on Thursday. A 45-year-old constable attached to the Shivaji Nagar police station became the latest to succumb, two days after a 58-year-old assistant sub inspector (ASI) from Sewri police station died of the disease.
According to police, the constable was admitted to MGM Hospital in Kalamboli on April 30 after exhibiting minor symptoms. He later tested positive. On Thursday, he breathed his last at the hospital. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. "The constable's wife had also tested positive. However she is asymptomatic and is likely to be discharged on Friday," said an officer.
Shivaji Nagar is one of the worst-affected areas of the city and the constable who was on duty until he began showing symptoms is likely to have contracted the disease in the course of patrolling the narrow lanes of this area. "Maintaining law and order and asking people to follow lockdown norms is a challange here," said an officer. Already 10 policemen have tested positive for Covid-19 and some have been quarantined as a safety measure. More than 1,000 from the state police force have tested positive, 400 of them from Mumbai alone, while 142, including 18 officers, have been cured. The state has lost nine policemen to the disease, including six from Mumbai.
