Perumbavoor police station in Ernakulam district has been temporarily shut after two accused persons revealed that they had spent some time with a COVID 19 patient. One of the accused also showed few symptoms like fever and cough. They are currently in Kalamassery medical college hospital.
The two accused, who had been absconding in the Unnikuttan murder case of 2018, were arrested on Wednesday.
All the policemen at the station have been quarantined, while fire services personnel disinfected the station premises. The police personnel have been quarantined inside the police station for the time being. The station has been closed to the public. The accused person's test results will be available only by Thursday evening.
A few shops in the neighbourhood where the two men were staying have also been ordered to shut.
CS Unnikuttan, 38, a Perumbavoor native was murdered in Mangaluru in September 2018. Two accused were earlier arrested from Kasaragod district and two others were absconding. They were finally arrested on Wednesday.
According to police, Unnikuttan had some connections with some gangsters and was killed allegedly over the sharing of black money. There were also some issues that Unnikuttan had an alleged relationship with the wife of one of the accused. His body was found in a lake in Uppilangadi which is about 50 kilometers away from Mangaluru.
Last week, 59 police officers at Kalamassery police station in Ernakulam were sent to quarantine after a policeman from the station tested positive. Thereafter, another officer from the station also tested positive. The policemen who had COVID 19 were on duty to check the expat returnees. 27 primary contacts of both the policemen had turned negative for coronavirus in their tests.Though the police station was reopened after disinfecting the place, the public have been barred entry.