Kolkata, Sep 8 (PTI) Heaping praise on the Kolkata Police and the West Bengal Police for their "relentless" fight against the COVID-19 pandemic over the past six months, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said they should "carry on the good work without paying heed to any adverse remark".

Banerjee, during a programme here to mark Bengal's first Police Day, said the two forces have been diligently performing their duties and providing all possible help to the people of the state, amid the crisis.

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Bengal had observed Police Day on September 1, but the programme was postponed to September 8, as the state was mourning the demise of former president Pranab Mukherjee.

"The police forces in the state are humane and brave. They should not pay heed to any adverse comment and keep up the good work," Banerjee said at the programme.

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Several police personnel received medals and certificates for their services, on the occasion.

"Apart from maintaining law and order, police personnel have also donated blood during this pandemic. Several members of the force, who had contracted the disease and recovered, are donating plasma for COVID-19 treatment, thus saving lives of many patients," Banerjee said.

She congratulated the family members for standing beside the police personnel, as they work tirelessly to combat the COVID-19 situation.

"The Kolkata Police, which was once equated with the Scotland Yard, is excelling further, while the Bengal Police is also faring well," she said, after virtually inaugurating a cyber forensic laboratory of the West Bengal Police, three new police stations at Khardah, Sagarpara and Kalitala Asuti and 22 other buildings, including some police barracks.

State Home secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay, on the occasion, announced that the kin of 20 'COVID warriors' who succumbed to the infection -- eight personnel of the West Bengal Police, seven of the Kolkata Police, four officials of the health department and one of the personnel department - were being given jobs, under the Compassionate Appointment Scheme, as promised by the government.

Bandopadhyay also said that 24 police personnel have died of COVID-19 in West Bengal so far.

Among others, State Director General of Police Virendra was present at the programme.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)