59-year-old PSI sixth police official to die of Covid-19

A 59-year-old police sub-inspector attached to the control room in the commissioner’s office died in the early hours on Tuesday.

He was undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at a private hospital in Attebele in Bengaluru Rural. He is the sixth police official to die of Covid-19. The official was a resident of Attibele and had been working with the control room for the past two years.

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The official was on duty till July 4 and was made to work the night shift by his senior officers despite instructions from city police commissioner Bhaskar Rao to send staff aged above 50 on paid leave. Rao issued the instruction on June 20. He later modified the order to work from home to include those above 50 years if they have health issues.

Rao passed the order after a few police officials above 50 years died of the Covid infection. A senior officer confirmed that more than 20 policemen aged above 55 years attached to the control room were made to work in the night shift by a Deputy Commissioner of Police.

“The paid leave (for over-50-years-old policemen) was not mandatory. It’s only optional,” Rao said. “From now, if any policeman above 50 years requires leave, he can directly contact me or the DCP concerned. Any staff contacting me will definitely get paid leave.”

The deceased PSI was admitted to a private hospital in Attibele on July 10. He had taken leave from June 5 due to health issues. The policeman is survived by his wife and son.