Mumbai, May 18 (IANS): Eight companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) reached Maharashtra on Monday while two are expected to reach the state later tonight to assist police with Covid-19 duties, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said here.

While 5 companies -- each with 120 highly-trained personnel -- will be deployed in the city from tomorrow, five others will be deployed across the state.

The CAPFs meant for Mumbai are 3 companies from the CISF, and 2 from CRPF, which will be part of 20 companies sought by the state for deployment during Ramzan-Eid and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

They will assist Maharashtra Police with crowd control and physical distancing measures during the lockdown 4.0 which started from Monday in the state.

The deployment will enable the Mumbai Police and police in other parts of the state to get the much-needed break from heavy dutyload for the past two months.

More so, because more than 1,200 police personnel, including around 600 in Mumbai, have tested Covid-19 positive and around a dozen have lost their lives so far.

With the additional forces reaching the state, deployments of Rapid Action Force companies have been made in Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik, Amravati so far.

For Mumbai's deployment, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh will take the final call on Tuesday.

Official sources said these companies are likely to be divided and deployed in some of the worst-hit Covid-19 zones in the city and the suburbs.

The remaining 10 companies are expected to join them over the next few days as announced by Deshmukh earlier.