LEAVES of BSF personnel extended as a precautionary measure to stop spread COVID-19 in the force

The Border Security Force (BSF) has extended leaves of the personnel due to join this month till April 21 as a preventive measure amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Earlier, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) CRPF had issued similar instructions extending the leave till April 15. The CRPF had also limited grant of leave to its personnel and in cases of emergency, the duration of leave was fixed at a minimum of 30 days. “Instructions have been issued to all formations of BSF that leave of personnel to be extended up to 21st April who are already on leave and are due to join in the month of April 2020. To avoid any communication gap, they have been telephonically informed not to rejoin work before April 21,” a senior BSF official said. Similar instructions have been issued for the training centres where training programs are underway barring them from any movement in the interim period. After a Second-in-Command officer was tested to be positive for COVID recently at BSF’s academy at Tekanpur, as many as 50 personnel were sent on quarantine. Chief Medical Officer of  the CRPF was tested positive for COVID-19 he reportedly infested 8 persons .They were quarantined. Subsequently, 200 other officials including the Director General of CRPF and Senior Security Advisor of the Union Home Ministry K Vijay Kumar, three Inspectors General and others were quarantined as a precautionary measure. (image courtesy :patrika)