COVID-19 crisis: Manipur cops try their hands at making face masks

Imphal: Manipur Police are up for another mission to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and that is stitching face masks for themselves, apart from safeguarding the residents in the state amid the national lockdown.

They have started stitching face masks to meet the requirements of all the police officers and personnel who are on the frontline in the battle against COVID-19 pandemic.

According to superintendent of police (NAB) W Basu in a statement, the state police department have roped in Manipur Rifles (MR) and Indian Reserve Battalion (IRBn) for tailoring face masks as supplement to the ones issued to the police personnel who are on duty to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

Apart from distributing the stitched face masks within the police department, the cops are also distributed them for free to women vendors in the state.

The department has appreciated the sincere efforts being put in by the rank and file in the fight against coronavirus in the state on a day-to-day basis at odd hours and under difficult situation, added the statement.

The department also urged the rank and file to continue to work with devotion in the service of the people of the state while taking utmost care of their personal safety.

Earlier, chief minister N Biren Singh had distributed at least 12 newly acquired patrol cars to the Special Patrol Units of Imphal East and Imphal West districts police for seamless patrolling and to maintain effective security in the state.

On Tuesday, the police detained at least 693 lockdown violators along with 462 vehicles in the state. Fines of Rs 61,880 were also imposed on the violators and those who did not wear face masks in public space to prevent from the spread of COVID-19 in the state.