Mumbai, May 7 (IANS): In a big shock for the health authorities, at least 77 inmates of the Arthur Road Central Jail and 26 police personnel posted there have tested Covid-19 positive, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said here on Thursday.

The virus has struck one barrack of the city's biggest and most well-known jail - housing more than 2,800 inmates - besides several hundred security persons manning the prison where once the 26/11, 2008 terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab was also kept till he was hanged in November 2012.

"Recently, in one of the barracks, we found a positive case after which all the inmates and police personnel posted underwent health checks. From these, 77 inmates and 26 policemen are found Covid-19 positive," Deshmukh said.

They are all being admitted to the state-run St. George Hospital in south Mumbai, he said.

In a rare gesture, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh visited the J.J. Marg Police Station - from where 26 personnel have tested positive this week - to boost the morale of the force stationed there.

"We have emerged victorious in so many battles, whether with the underworld or the 26/11 terror strikes... We suffered casualties but we came out winners. This time, the enemy is invisible, but we have to fight and we will come out winners again," Singh said amidst applause from the policemen.

Though the J.J. Marg Police Station is among the worst-hit, so far more than 230 cops have tested positive and 3 have lost their lives to Covid-19 so far.