If you are someone who frequents the road in the time of lockdown, do not be surprised if you get stopped or checked at road check posts by men in battle fatigues or camouflage uniforms. Yes, they are from the Army, the Air Force and the Navy. But they are ex-servicemen (ESM), who have volunteered their services to the Police in the fight against the pandemic.
If you are someone who frequents the road in the time of lockdown, do not be surprised if you get stopped or checked at road check posts by men in battle fatigues or camouflage uniforms. Yes, they are from the Army, the Air Force and the Navy. But they are ex-servicemen (ESM), who have volunteered their services to the Police in the fight against the pandemic.
When 56-year-old N. Ramesh got a call from the Coimbatore Ex-Servicemen Welfare seeking his willingness to work with the Police during the lockdown, he did not think twice.
“I was very happy to have got the opportunity. I am from a Defence background and so there was total support from the family. I would be happy to fulfil any kind of duty the administration entrusts me with,” says this former Petty Officer from the Navy, who mans the road check post at Chinthamanipudur, along with two ESM and three policemen.
Ramesh, along with former Sergeant Ravi (Air Force), and Subedar Karupaswamy (Army), works in shifts at the check post, where he checks vehicles and pedestrians. He also advises them to stay at home and follow social distancing.
Since April 15 there are as many as 48 ESM engaged in such duties across Coimbatore – urban and rural areas.
In the first week of April, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced that it would mobilise ex-servicemen to assist the State governments and district administrations, wherever required, to supplement the country’s efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare was entrusted with augmenting the ESM at the district levels.
The MoD believed this strategy would work since “The ESM are disciplined, motivated and well trained to operate in adverse situations and they have a pan-India presence in all the districts and villages across the country”.
49-year-old Captain Joseph Mahimaidoss (retd.) is at the Madukkarai check post assisting the police in checking vehicles and marking them with yellow paint, if found on the road without reason.
“My family fears for me. But I take the necessary precautions. I have been following the measures the police have been taking to control crowding on the road and enforce social distancing. Sitting at home I was hoping to be of some use to them. The call came at the right time,” says this veteran, who has served in Kashmir.
Naik Rajesh Kumar (retd.) wears his combat uniform with pride as he stands along with Honorary Naik Subedar Ramanathan at the Mullai Nagar check post near Vadavalli.
He checks if pedestrians and drivers wear masks, and advises poor, illiterate people about the dangers of walking on the road in groups without masks.
“I am very fortunate to be a part of this. I have undergone protection training in the Army. I have learnt Chemical-Biological-Radiological (CBR) Warfare. If I can’t put it to use during this time, then when?” the 35-year-old asks.
Happy with the response from the ESM, Superintendent of Police Sujith Kumar says that this is the first time that ESM have been called for assisting the administration in something other than election duty. “This is an unusual situation and we need them to assist the police in the field. They will not be deployed independently. Too many people are on the road and the Police need help to control them”.
He hopes more will come forward to offer their services to support the Police. C.V. Selvamoorthy, Assistant Director of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Coimbatore, says they reached out to only those below 60 years of age, as stipulated in the order. Coimbatore ESM were very quick to respond. Though the official order was received on April 13, more than 40 ESM reported to duty on April 15.
“This was because we alerted them as soon as we got to know the decision of the MoD in the first week of April. They will report to the nearest police station and do the needful to help strengthen the arm of the Police in the collective fight against the pandemic.”