‘Not honoured’ video of COVID warrior Home Guard goes viral

Ranjith Kumar, attached to the Mylapore station, added that he suspected his name might have been omitted because he was part of the union representing Home Guards. In the video, Kumar claimed that he had tested positive on August 29 while being involved in containment work and was admitted to the isolation centre for police personnel at IIT-Madras campus and was discharged on September 10. However, his name did not feature in the list of personnel who were felicitated by the Commissioner at Guru Nanak College in Velachery on Friday, he rued, noting that the certificate would have helped in his promotion.

Of the 184 personnel felicitated, 100 were given medals for their contribution to COVID prevention measures, while the remaining 84, who had contracted the virus during their work and recovered, were given certificates of appreciation.

In the video, Kumar claimed that he approached his seniors but was told that his name was not recommended by the higher-ups. By the time he approached them, it was too late as the list had already been sent to the city police top brass, they reportedly told him. It was then that Kumar grew suspicious of his name being deliberately off the lists over him being a part of the Home Guards union.

A senior police officer of the Home Guard wing, on conditions of anonymity, said, “We selected only those who were consistently involved in COVID prevention work. If he has been consistent and still not been recognised, we will definitely give him the certificate.”