23 policemen test COVID positive at Gujarat's Kevadiya ahead of PM Modi's visit

During coronavirus tests of security personnel a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit here, as many as 23 policemen were found infected with the disease, officials said on Friday. Over 5,000 police and State Reserve Police (SRP) personnel from different districts have been deployed in areas surrounding the Statue of Unity in the wake of Modi's visit to the monument near Kevadiya village in Narmada district on Friday and Saturday.

Modi, who is on a two-day Gujarat visit from Friday, has arrived at Kevadiya and will stay here till Saturday afternoon. As a precautionary measure, special testing booths have been created at the Statue to test security personnel deployed here in view of Ekta Diwas celebrations, said an official release by Narmada district.

As per the release, as many as 3,651 police personnel were tested for coronavirus on Thursday and 23 of them were found infected with the disease. They were admitted to a COVID-19 centre at Rajpipla town of Narmada district, said the release.

On October 27, five policemen were found coronavirus positive during a similar testing exercise at the Statue of Unity, a monument dedicated to Sardar Patel.

Also read: PM Modi to leave for 2-day visit to Gujarat today; to visit Statue of Unity, inaugurate seaplane service