A 42-year-old traffic policeman attached to Samarth police station died of COVID-19 on Thursday, becoming the second Pune Police personnel to succumb to the novel coronavirus.
The district reported five more deaths on Thursday, taking its toll to 240. Pune also recorded 173 new cases, pushing its tally to 4,717. Pune Divisional Commissioner Dr. Deepak Mhaisekar said, “The cases were reported between Tuesday night and Thursday evening.”
According to officials, the policeman, a resident of Somwar Peth, tested positive a few days ago and died during treatment at a private hospital. On May 4, a 57-year-old assistant sub-inspector died of COVID-19 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Pune.
On Wednesday, four policemen, including a police inspector from Pimpri-Chinchwad tested positive. So far, over 25 police personnel in the district, including six from Pimpri-Chinchwad, have tested positive. Last month, 102 police chowkis under Pune Police limits were temporarily shut as a precautionary measure after a personnel tested positive. There are 2,287 active cases in the district, of which 180 are critical, while 2,363 people have been discharged.
The death toll in Pune division — which includes Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Solapur districts — has climbed to 280. Solapur has reported 33 deaths, Satara two, and Kolhapur and Sangli one each. The division’s tally has risen to 5,614, of which 2,639 are active.
Kolhapur district recorded 43 new cases on Thursday, taking its tally to 179. “Of these, 164 are active cases. Solapur’s tally rose to 478 with 17 new cases, while 15 new cases were reported from Satara, pushing its tally to 181,” Dr. Mhaisekar said.
Festivities likely to be hit
The pandemic has cast its shadow on the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities to be held in September. Representatives of Pune’s five Manache Ganpati pandals have agreed via videoconferencing to keep the celebrations “simple”.
Mahesh Suryawanshi, treasurer, Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Trust, said, “This year, people’s health will be of paramount importance. As a result, public gatherings and other celebrations will most likely be scrapped. We will take a call on the immersion procession based on the situation.”
Every year, a stately procession of the Manache Ganpati idols queue up for immersion. The procession is led by Kasba Ganpati, which was established in 1893, followed by Tambadi Jogeshwari Ganpati, Guruji Talim Ganpati, Bhau Rangari and Dagdusheth Ganpati.
Pandal representatives have expressed doubts over whether the performances by dhol tasha and lezim troupes, an integral part of the celebrations, will be able to take place this year.
