Amid a massive spike, Three hundred and eighty seven people tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Jammu Kashmir on Friday.
The cases include Srinagar 94, Baramulla 36, Kulgam 33, Shopian 14, Anantnag 11, Kupwara 34, Pulwama 47, Budgam 6, Bandipora 8, Ganderbal 7, Jammu 23, Kathua 7, Ramban 11, Rajouri 51, Samba 1, Poonch 2, Doda 1 and Reasi 1
Among these cases is a probationary sub inspector of Jammu Kashmir Police identified as Ishfaq Ahmed Rather posted currently at Pattan Police Station.
A Police official speaking to The Kashmiriyat said that Ishfaq PAU Number 97 who was asked to join duty at District Police Lines in Baramulla after the training centre in Udhampur closed down due to the India-wide lockdown in March.
“Ishfaq has been quarantined at Delina area of Baramulla, A lot of Police officials met him during his posting at Police Station Pattan, in fact a lot of people from the district Police lines also met him,” the official said.
Ishfaq is one of the six hundred Police officials who have been asked to resume training by Jammu Kashmir Police at the udhampur training centre on July 12.
Earlier on 18th March, the Udhampur Training centre was closed down after the Pandemic spread in India and an order was sent stating that the training centres be closed and the trainees be sent back to their respective district Police Lines.
“We have been doing our duty at various Police Lines, this spontaneous order amid the growing cases of coronavirus is a sad sight and our families are not allowing us to resume training, we are not shying away from doing our duties, but right now joining the training makes us more prone to risk of being exposed to the deadly virus,” an official had told The Kashmiriyat.
Pertinently, Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy Udhampur was closed on 18 March following the Covid-19 pandemic breakout. Over 600 Sub-Inspectors and 5 Deputy Superintendent of Police officers were undergoing training at the Academy at the time of closure.
A Senior Police official was quoted by Kashmir news trust as saying that the standard operational procedures issued by the Health Departments will be followed during the training.
“All arrangements have been made and social distancing norms will also be followed,” the Police official told.
However, the case of Ishfaq has raised new and serious questions.
The total number of coronavirus positive cases in Jammu Kashmir 9888, while as 160 people out of them have died.