The Kerala police have lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against sub-collector Anupam Mishra of Kollam district who violated the mandatory 14-day home quarantine and went missing from his house after returning from Singapore.  

Based on a report by the local health department, the Kollam West Police station has booked the sub-collector.

“We have lodged an FIR under sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant),  269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 271 (Disobedience to quarantine law) of the Indian Penal Code,” Ramesh G, sub inspector of Kollam West station told TNM. 

Anupam was on leave and had joined back for duty on March 18. The bureaucrat had just returned from Singapore, where local transmission of SARS-CoV2, which causes the COVID-19 disease has been reported. 

However, despite the state government asking him to observe a 14-day-home quarantine, a routine visit by workers of the health department revealed that the government official had jumped quarantine and left to his hometown of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. 

While he claims that he is presently observing quarantine in Bengaluru with his relative, the police officials in Kerala have traced his SIM card in Kanpur. 

“We are still investigating whether he is in Kanpur or Bengaluru,” the SI added.

According to reports, Anupam Mishra had spoken to Kollam Collector Abdul Nasar on the situation on Thursday. He said that he had traveled to Bengaluru to undergo quarantine with his relatives instead of staying all by himself in Kerala. 

Kollam remains the only district in Kerala where a positive case of SARS-COV2 has not been reported. Kerala on Thursday confirmed 19 new cases of the virus. 

On the first day of the nationwide lockdown on Wednesday, Kerala registered over 400 cases against those who violated home quarantine and stepped out onto the roads.