Gadchiroli, Jul 18 (IANS): In an alarming development, 72 more troopers of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) posted in Gadchiroli tested Covid-19 positive on Saturday, officials said here.

The test reports of these 72, from a battalion of around 600 who joined duty last week, came out Covid positive on Saturday and they have been sent into quarantine.

Besides, the district already has another 42 SRPF men, 87 Central Reserve Police Force jawans and two Border Security Force personnel who have tested positive, totalling to 203.

Another 2-3 troopers have recently recovered from coronavirus and are preparing to resume normal duties as per the protocols, said the official.

They are among a total of 1,200 troopers drawn from various central forces who have been deployed all over the sensitive district to control the Maoist menace besides helping out the state police in various duties.

While the CRPF and BSF jawans hail from all over India, the SRPF men come from various districts in the state and all undergo a mandatory Covid-19 test within a week after reaching here.

The district authorities and the various armed units have made sufficient arrangements for the isolation and treatment of all those who have tested positive, said the official.