‘Motivation helped me in difficult times’

ASI Shashpal Sharma contracted the virus in the initial days of the outbreak of the pandemic. At that time, nobody was sure about what to do in such circumstances. “Only motivation from the family members helped me overcome these difficult times,” he said. Shashpal said when the lockdown was imposed and the unlocking process was yet to be started, he was posted at the Durgiana Temple police chowki. The area had a number of visitors from West Bangal who were stuck here and a large number of migrants were also living in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of the police chowki.

He said during this unprecedented health crisis, he was distributing ration to needy people and he did not really know how he contracted the virus. He also remained deputed for the medical examination of the people boarding special trains to reach their native places.

When he was declared Covid positive, he was immediately shifted to a quarantine centre opened at meritorious school here. “We were all shocked but in the mind we knew that it was going to happen in the line of duty,” he said.

For six days I was kept in the quarantine centre. My family, though worried, supported me. My younger brother used to supply the things I needed at the centre. After six days he was asked to go into 14-day self-isolation at home.

“Health officials pasted a document announcing that I was positive. Luckily, my other family members, including wife and two young children, tested negative,” he said. Emotions ran high when you go into self quarantine in a room and cannot meet your children. I kept patience and faith in God during these testing times. I witnessed the scenario where a kind of stigma was attached to the disease and people even did not take bodies of their family members. But my family members continued to motivate me and I also used to get regular calls from my relatives.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.