Mumbai, May 13: The Maharashtra government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday requested the Centre for additional Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the state to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Anil Deshmukh, Maharashtra Home Minister on Wednesday said that as several Mumbai Police cops have tested positive for coronavirus and as long working hours are leaving Maharashtra police stretched, the state has asked the Centre to deploy CAPF to reduce stress on state police amid lockdown.

Deshmukh also added saying that amid the COVID-19 crisis and as Ramzan Eid is also approaching on May 25, the state would require 20 companies of CAPF to help teh Mumbai Police maintain law & order the state. The CAPF are a part of security forces in India under the authority of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Mumbai Police Reports Another COVID-19 Death, ASI Murlidhar Shankar Waghmare Succumbs to Infection.

Here's the Tweet:

On Tuesday, an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the Mumbai police died due to COVID-19. With this, the total deaths in the state rose to five. earlier this month, Mumbai Commissioner of Police Param Bir Singh had said that around 250 Mumbai Police cops in the state have contracted COVID-19. Till now, seven policemen have lost their lives fighting against the disease. Mumbai Police Head Constable Shivaji Narayan Sonawane Dies of COVID-19, Third Death in Three Days.

In Maharashtra, 53 new COVID-19 deaths were reported on Tuesday with the number of positive cases surging past the 24,000 mark. The total number of coronavirus cases in the state increased to 24,427, a jump of 1,026 new cases while the death toll rose to 921 till Tuesday night. In Mumbai, 28 deaths were reported in a single day on Tuesday, the highest till date, taking the city's toll from Monday's 528 to 556.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 13, 2020 01:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).