Nagaland: Police personnel not provided protective kits

Our Correspondent
Kohima, May 22 (EMN): Police personnel in Nagaland have been at the forefront, tackling the Covid-19 pandemic for more than a year now, but unlike last year where they were provided protective kits, they are said to be on their own this time.

A police officer told Eastern Mirror on Saturday that they neither received any training on handling the second wave of Covid-19 nor given any protective kits like face masks, face shields, gloves and hand sanitisers from the government though they were engaged in battling the pandemic since its outbreak.

‘We are buying masks and hand sanitisers from our pockets,’ said the police officer.

Meanwhile, a citizen said that ‘most of the police personnel in Dimapur district were said to be out in the streets just because they were told to do so’.

‘The duty of the police should not only be just apprehending or penalising the citizens for breaking Covid-19 norms but also to educate them on Covid-appropriate behaviour as many people, especially the illiterate sections are still unaware about the pandemic,’ she opined.

“Unless organisations and NGOs step out to provide refreshments and meals to the frontline workers in the streets or provide protective kits against Covid-19, many personnel should have endured hunger and thirst with all the shops and eateries being closed during the lockdown,” she added.

The police officer also shared that different organisations and NGOs provide them refreshments and meals while on duty.

“During lockdown, we cannot buy anything to eat or drink; this is one problem we face,” said an Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel.