CRPF jawan succumbs to COVID-19; 11th death in paramilitary forces

After a third death due to COVID-19 in CRPF, a total of eleven deaths have been reported in the paramilitary forces. Officials said that the Jawan was undergoing treatment for cancer and was later tested positive for coronavirus.

New Delhi: A 37-year-old Central Reserve Police Force jawan suffering from cancer has succumbed to COVID-19, taking the total number of deaths due to the disease in the country's largest paramilitary force to three, officials said on Sunday.

They said the jawan, a constable of the 141st battalion, died at a hospital here on Friday.
The jawan was under treatment for oropharyngeal cancer since April and was later found infected with the novel coronavirus that claimed his life, the officials said.

This is the third death due to COVID-19 in CRPF, which has about 3.25 lakh personnel, and 11th among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), or the paramilitary forces.

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The Central Industrial Security Force has reported four deaths, the Border Security Force two and the Sashastra Seema Bal and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police one each.

The CAPFs, according to the latest data, had over 1,550 coronavirus cases, out of which more than 1,100 have recovered.

These forces, with a combined strength of about 10 lakh, are deployed in a variety of roles in internal security and border guarding domains under the Union Home Ministry. (PTI)