Another policeman dies; toll now 16

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The death toll due to COVID-19 in the ranks of the Mumbai Police rose to 16 on Friday, with a head constable succumbing to the pandemic and another constable testing positive posthumously.

According to police officials, the head constable was posted with a police station in the western suburbs. Officials said he went on leave around 10 days ago and was admitted to a quarantine centre in Worli, from where he was discharged on Thursday. He died in the early hours of Friday.

Meanwhile, samples of a constable posted with a suburban police station, who had passed away of heart failure on May 25, have tested positive for COVID-19. Official said his samples were sent for testing following his death and the reports arrived on Thursday evening.

The development takes the toll among the city police to 16 and in the State to 25. Apart from the 16 police personnel in Mumbai, the State has lost three personnel from the Nashik Rural commissionerate, two from Pune and one each from Thane, Solapur Rural, Solapur City and the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad.

A total of 2,211 personnel have tested positive for COVID-19 in Maharashtra so far, with 970 of them having recovered.