Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty Amma on Thursday said strict action would be taken against Kollam sub-collector Anupam Mishra who skipped the 14-day quarantine period after his recent visit to a foreign country.
"The government will look into the issue," she said. Anupam Mishra has left his official residence in Kollam. His mobile phone tower location has been traced to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
Mishra, who got married recently, was on vacation till March 18. He apparently went abroad with his wife for honeymoon. Though Mishra rejoined duty on March 19, he was asked to go on home quarantine because of his foreign travel history.
The Hindustan Times reported Mishra had gone to Singapore. The Hindustan Times added the Kerala government was in touch "with their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh and will also bring the developments to the notice of the Union ministry of personnel". Mishra's driver, personal security guard and secretary have been placed in isolation after news of his disappearance.
All persons coming to India from abroad have been strictly asked to go on home quarantine in the wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. His neighbours said Mishra apparently fled his residence two days ago.
However, Kollam District Collector B. Abdul Nasser said Mishra went missing on Thursday. "He was on home quarantine since March 19. Health and revenue officials found on Thursday that he was not present at his official residence," Nasser told Manorama News. Nasser said the sub-collector, when contacted over phone, said he was in Bengaluru. "However, his mobile tower location has been traced to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh," he said.
“He told me that he left for Bengaluru as he does not have any relatives in Kollam,” Nasser said.
Nasser said Mishra’s action was a serious breach of service rules. “I have submitted a report to the government,” Nasser said. Mishra hails from Rajasthan.
Incidentally, Kollam is the only district in Kerala that has not recorded even a single COVID-19 case till Thursday.
(This article originally appeared in onmanorama)
