Bengaluru, Jul 10 (IANS): As many as 395 city policemen tested Covid positive since the start of the pandemic, said an official on Thursday.

"We at Bengaluru city police stand tall in the fight against Covid. As of Thursday, five of us laid life in the life of duty and 395 of us tested positive," said Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Hemant Nimbalkar.

Of the 395 infected policemen, 190 have recovered from the infection while 200 are under treatment.

"190 of us conquered Covid. 200 of us are under treatment," said Nimbalkar.

According to the senior police officer, 20 police stations in the city have been sealed thus far, following some policemen testing positive.

Because of the pandemic, police operations have also been affected.

Central Crime Branch (CCB) Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Kuldeep Jain, said operations of the department have also been affected because some policemen tested positive about the 150 men strong department which fights organized crime.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru South DCP Rohini Katoch Sepat reached out to some infected policemen through video conference to build their confidence and boost morale.

"Confidence building measure. DCP South (Sepat) is taking stock of health by talking to 40 Covid positive police personnel under treatment at various hospitals and Covid Care Centres (CCC) through web meeting," he said.

Sepat was seen talking to an infected policeman through a web cam connected to a laptop in her office.

Nimbalkar said the police department stands together as one family in the times of both joy and difficulty.