9 RPF personnel out of 28 personnel traveling to Kharagpur tested COVID positive. As per the report, the RPF personnel came by special train and subsequently by bus to Kharagpur on April 14. The RPF contingent of South Eastern Railway (SER) left Kharagpur for Anand Vihar, Delhi on March 19 by train to collect ammunition for RPF of SER. The contingent arrived at Anand Vihar on March 20 and arrived at Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) 6 Battalion (BN) Dayabasti to deposit arms.
Passenger services were stopped on March 23 and a lockdown was announced by the Prime Minister on March 24 evening. Therefore, the members of the aforementioned contingent stayed till April 12 in RPF/RPSF barracks in Daya Basti, Delhi.
It was decided to run parcel special trains for the transportation of essential goods during the lockdown. Subsequently, the parcel special trains started from March 31. Since there was scarcity of ammunition with RPF in SER, The ammunition collecting contingent was advised to move by suitable parcel train from Delhi. It is pertinent to note that the on-duty movement of armed forces was spared from the restrictions imposed during the lockdown.
The contingent collected their arms and stock of ammunition on 12th and proceeded by parcel special on 13th early morning from NDLS to HWH.
The contingent reached Howrah on April 14 morning and proceeded by RPF bus to Kharagpur. Staff posted at en-route stations deboarded from the bus during the road journey. They were quarantined in respective barracks. The rest of the staff with ammunition were taken to Kharagpur.
One constable boarded another parcel train from Kharagpur and reached Balasore on April 14, night. He was also quarantined like other staff. He developed a slight fever on April 15 and was taken to Government Hospital Balasore on April 16 where he was tested for corona infection. Subsequently, he was kept in quarantine in a separate room at RPF barrack Balasore. His results came positive on April 20. Immediately, the other staff of the contingent was tested.
The results of 24 members of the contingent were received out of which, 8 members have been declared positive for COVID. Therefore, a total of 9 RPF personnel out of the contingent of 28 tested as positive. The reports of the other 4 are awaited.
It is informed that all the 28 RPF personnel have already been tested and no one is left for testing. It is also clarified that the RPF personnel while undertaking the journey did not come in contact with any public. There has not been any violation of the guidelines issued for the management of COVID-19 by the Central Government or any state government.
Nonetheless, a fact-finding committee has been constituted to ascertain the circumstances under which some of the RPF personnel of the contingent got infected.