Men in khaki get an image makeover in Covid season
Berhampur: The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the new face of police with the men in khaki providing food to migrants passing through Berhampur as well as helping them go home.
On Wednesday, they sent 21 labourers from Jharkhand home in a bus. The workers from Garhwa district were working to lay down pipelines for a gas project near Golanthara. Cops stationed at Goshaninuagaon police station came to know about them when they were spotted walking on NH-16 late on Tuesday night.
“After inquiry, we came to know that the contractor had given them Rs 500 each and asked them to go home,” said a police officer. “But our personnel arranged a private bus for them at an affordable price and sent them off after providing them breakfast,” said sub-divisional police officer (Berhampur Town) B P Pati.
He said around Rs 45,000 was spent on their bus rent and food and the labourers contributed Rs 10,000. Some police officers and people have contributed for their transportation, said the SDPO.
On Monday, police arranged three private buses to send 138 labourers from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh home. Police detained the labourers and informed their respective district administrations to facilitate the travel. They had been under quarantine at a centre in Kanishi for over a month.
Similarly, policemen have been deployed at Jagannathpur railway station where the trains carrying migrants from Gujarat and Kerala are arriving. Police personnel are ensuring their transportation.