Himachal DGP quarantines himself, Police HQ sealed

Shimla: Novel Coronavirus scare gripping Himachal Pradesh especially after 1.90 lakh returnees hit state police headquarters following reports DGP Sanjay Kundu coming in contact with a Delhi acquaintance –who died of COVID -19 on Tuesday on his return to union capital.

After deceased person's son called up Kundu to inform about his father's demise, the DGP took a prompt decision to undergo Coronavirus test, and got the police PHQ sealed as precautionary step.

Thirty other officers of the police, who had been close with Kundu during past some days, were also sent for mandatory medical tests to rule out possibility of virus infection.

By evening, Kundu's report suggested that he was completely free from any infection, relating to Coronavirus .

Yet, DGP as matter of abundant precaution got himself into home quarantine.

But by then the entire town got plunged into utter disbelief as Kundu–who had taken over the charge as DGP on May 30, had already met Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, besides Chief Secretary Anil Khachi and several ministers and MLAs.

Some senior journalists and media professionals have also been regularly meeting Kundu for briefings and interviews.

Inquiries reveal that on June 1–his first day in the office, Kundu had several visitors including a person from New Delhi, who especially drove to Shimla to congratulate him on taking over as DGP.

"He met me in office and also offered sweets. Today, his son informed me about the death and his tests as Coronavirus positive," Kundu told the Millennium Post . Thus, the areas this person had visited in the police headquarters have been sealed, and the building was being sanitised as par precautionary measure, advisories and protocols issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs," said police spokesman Khushal Sharma ( SP, Law & order).

"We have also got the officers and personnel medically tested, whosoever had some in contact with him. The officers and personnel tested will remain in self-quarantine till such time as their results come out negative," Sharma said.