At least 84 recruit constables of the Arunachal Pradesh Police undergoing training at the police training centre (PTC) in Banderdewa near Itanagar have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past three days.
“The recruits, all male, are from the D, E and F companies and were living in separate barracks,” superintendent of police (SIT Crime), Hemant Tiwari, said on Thursday.
Tiwari said the recruit constables were directed to report to the PTC from September 10 to 13 last from their districts concerned, after which they were kept on isolation in their respective barracks until September 20.
“They had undergone the rapid antigen tests in their concerned districts and after being tested negative they were sent to the PTC for the training through a police vehicle. They were not allowed to get in touch with any other people during that process,” the SP said.
Tiwari said, after the recruit constables completed their quarantine/isolation period, the training began on September 21, however, around 14 of the cadets of the F Company reported cough and cold in the same evening.
They underwent the Covid-19 tests on September 22 after which 8 of them tested positive. The 76 others detected positive for the virus following the contact tracing, he said
The SP said all those who tested positive have been shifted to the Covid Care Centre in Leki Village and the training has been suspended.
