MHA is inquiring, everything will come out: ADG (Med) CAPF on charges of laxity, spike in COVID-19 cases in CRPF

While the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has shifted blame to the medical wing for the spike in COVID-19 cases in the force, Dr Mukesh Saxena, Additional Director General (ADG), Medical, has said that Ministry of Home Affairs is inquiring into it.

"The reason for massive spikes in cases of coronavirus among CAPF jawans is mainly due to their deployment in red zone areas and hotspots," he told here on Friday.

He further said: "The inquiry is going on. The matter is with the MHA. The Ministry is inquiring into it. It will be premature for me to comment on anything as the MHA is looking into it."

Dr Saxena is ADG (Medical), who heads all medical wings of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like CRPF, ITBP, etc., and reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

CRPF in a meeting chaired by its DG AP Maheshwari a few days back pointed out that due to laxness of medical wing officers, 31st Battalion of CRPF witnessed a massive spike in corona cases.

"Various CAPF jawans are performing duties in hotspot areas like Jama Masjid and even in red zones," he said.

CPRF and medical wing are blaming each other for the spike in COVID-19 cases.

CRPF in meeting minutes had said while explaining the reason of spike in cases in 31st Battalion that the person, who is the suspected to be the carrier of coronavirus, "was roaming around the barracks in the mess and other places of the unit and thus infected other personnel."

This was allegedly done due to an order of Medical Directorate mandating five days of quarantine instead of 14 days.

On the other side, in the same meeting, Director, Medical, refuted and said that he "enquired from 31st Battalion of CRPF and found that the personnel kept in barracks are more than the prescribed capacity. The norms of social distancing are not being adhered to."

( With inputs from ANI )