Senior Police Officer Posted at Rashtrapati Bhavan Tests Positive for Coronavirus, Several Quarantined

An assistant commissioner of police (ACP) posted at the Rashtrapati Bhavan has been admitted to a Delhi hospital after he tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Five police personnel and employees of the presidential residence have been quarantined.

According to a report in NDTV, the senior police officer office is inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan building.

The ACP was posted at Rashtrapati Bhawan Police Lines, away from the Rashtrapati Bhawan core area which comprises the residential premises of the president, they said.The Assistant Commissioner of Police was tested and isolated on May 13.

A month ago, residents of around 115 families in the Rashtrapati Bhavan complex were quarantined after a relative of an employee posted there tested positive for the virus. No employee of the President's Secretariat got infected at the time.

"We were informed about his reports today. He has tested positive for the virus but he is asymptomatic. He was in isolation since May 13 and has been admitted to a private hospital," a senior police officer said.

The ACP was responsible for duty deployment, administration and management of personnel within the Rashtrapati Bhawan premises, he said.

Spread over 2.5 kilometres, the estate provides residential accommodation to employees posted with the President's Secretariat which includes the home and office of the President, a museum complex and famous gardens - the Mughal Gardens, Herbal Garden, Musical Garden and Spiritual Garden.

It is a virtual city within a city which has its own post office, places of worships, schools, medical and cultural centres besides an auditorium where special screenings of movies are held for the President.

Last week, a statement from the Rashtrapati Bhavan said that President Ram Nath Kovind will forgo 30 percent of his salary for a year and reduce spending money on travel and ceremonial banquets to make more resources available for treating of coronavirus.

"In the President's estimation, this will be a small but significant contribution to realise the government's vision of making India self-reliant (aatmanirbhar) and energise the nation to take up the challenge to fight the pandemic and continue our journey for development and prosperity simultaneously," said the statement.

(With inputs from PTI)