New Delhi: An Assistant Sub Inspector in the CISF has succumbed to COVID-19 infection during treatment in Kolkata, raising serious concern as it is the first death reported in the force so far and 68 personnel have been infected till Tuesday. Of the infected, five fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours. Two CISF personnel have also recovered from the virus and discharged.

The 55-year-old Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Assistant Sub-Inspector passed away during treatment on Monday. He was found to be COVID-19 positive on May 5 and was being treated at the Desun Hospital in Kolkata. He was a resident of Dakshin Dinajpur in West Bengal.

The five fresh COVID-19 infected cases in the CISF were reported from Delhi, where the number now has touched 27. Of the 68 CISF personnel infected with the virus, 32 are in Mumbai, 27 in Delhi, five Ahmedabad, and two each in Kolkata and Greater Noida. Out of 32 infected CISF personnel in Mumbai, 28 were deputed at the Mumbai airport, two at the Mumbai port, and one each at the government mint -- one of the four mints in the country for the production of coins -- as well as Hindustan Petroleum/Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).

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Among those infected in Delhi, three were deputed at the Delhi airport and 24 at the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). In Kolkata, one CISF trooper was performing duties at the Kolkata Port Trust and one at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. Of the CISF personnel deputed in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, one was deployed at the force's 11 Reserve Battalion and other at its Special Security Group (SSF) Control Room in Noida.

The over 1.62 lakh strong CISF paramilitary force is mandated to provide security to major critical infrastructure in diverse areas. It provides security to nuclear installations, space establishments, airports, seaports, power plants, sensitive government buildings and heritage monuments.

Among the important responsibilities entrusted to the CISF are the DMRC, VIP security, disaster management and establishment of a Formed Police Unit (FPU) of the UN at Haiti.

The increasing number of covid cases among the CISF, as well as other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) or paramilitary forces is also a major concern. Nearly 700 CAPF or paramilitary personnel have been so far infected with the deadly virus -- a major concern for the government when the virus has claimed over 2,293 deaths and over 70,000 infected persons across the country.