Two IPS officers — both qualified doctors — posted as superintendent of police and additional superintendent of police in Jalpaiguri and Malda, respectively, have brought in their medical expertise to help their colleagues.

Hossain Mehedi Rehman, who joined as the additional SP (headquarters) of Malda, in consultation with SP Alok Rajoria, is working to prevent the spread of the pathogen among police personnel.

An MD in community medicine, Rehman studied in St Anthony’s School in Kurseong, did his MBBS from Aligarh Muslim University and PG from King George’s Medical University in Lucknow before cracking the UPSC.

“SP sir encouraged me... in consultation with him I started categorising the aged police personnel who are more vulnerable to infection, and they have been posted where they don’t have to interact with many people,” Rehman said. “I stay in touch with infected police personnel over phone. Simple precautions are enough for those who are fit and healthy,” Rehman, who is teaching police personnel how to use PPE kits, added.

ASP HM Rehman Sourced by The Telegraph

In Malda, over a 100 police personnel, including officers, have tested positive so far.

Jalpaiguri SP Pradeep Kumar Yadav who did his MBBS from the SMS Medical College of Jaipur, is “just a phone call away from any of the 3,000 police personnel” who work under him. Yadav is a stickler for Covid safety protocols. “We should follow the instruction of doctors so as not to get infected. That’s what I tell my colleagues,” he said.

Ramendranath Pramanik, Jalpaiguri chief medical officer of health , said it was assuring to “have an IPS officer with a stethoscope”.