A 51-year-old Delhi Police inspector posted with the Police Control Room (PCR) died of Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on Tuesday morning at a hospital in south Delhi. He is the 16th Delhi Police personnel to succumb to the disease.

Inspector Sanjay Sharma, a 1997 batch officer, was admitted to the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in Vasant Kunj after he developed symptoms a fortnight ago and then tested positive for Covid-19.

As his condition deteriorated, Sharma was administered plasma therapy. According to senior police officers, Sharma’s friends and colleagues, who recently recovered from Covid-19, had donated the plasma.

On Monday night, his condition deteriorated, and he passed away around 7.45am on Tuesday, an officer, who did not wish to be named, said.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (PCR) Sharat Sinha said, “We tried our best. Some of our officers, who recovered from the disease, donated plasma. He was given plasma therapy. We also provided his family with whatever help they needed. He is survived by his wife and a son who is studying in IIT-Delhi,” Sinha said.

On August 1, a Delhi Police head constable posted to the Defence Colony police station in south Delhi had succumbed to Covid-19. The 52-year-old was admitted to the ICU at Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, a designated Covid-19 hospital, at Tahirpur in northeast Delhi.

Before Dhar, 14 officers of the Delhi Police, including a decorated inspector of the special cell, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, succumbed to Covid-19. Last month, three policemen died of the infection.

Over 2,500 Delhi Police personnel have tested positive for the infection so far, of which over 2,000 have recovered and resumed their duties, said another officer requesting anonymity.