‘Mistook home quarantine as permission to go home’: Kerala IAS officer suspended by govt

Kollam Collector called IAS officer Anupam Mishra’s violation a ‘grave lapse from an official who is supposed to become a role model to the public.’

Coronavirus Coronavirus

The Kerala state government has suspended a Sub-Collector in Kollam district for violating the 14-day mandatory home quarantine necessary to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state.

A suspension order has now been issued to Kollam Sub-collector, Anupam Mishra, on the basis of an inquiry report by Kollam Collector Abdul Nasir.

Explaining the lapse from his side to the Collector, the IAS officer who hails from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, had reportedly stated that he ‘mistook home quarantine as permission to go back home’. His explanation has, however, not been accepted by the district administration or the state government.

In his inquiry report submitted to the state government on the violation committed by the Sub-collector, Kollam Collector Abdul Nasir mentioned that “this was a grave lapse from an official who is supposed to become a role model to the public.”

Sub-collector Anupam Misha was on leave and had returned from Singapore, where local transmission of coronavirus has been reported. He joined back duty on March 19.

Although he was advised by the State Health Department and the Kollam District Collector to be on home quarantine, the Sub-collector’s residence was found to be vacant during a routine follow up by health officials.

The IAS officer had then claimed that he was in Bengaluru, observing home quarantine with a relative. However, police officers later traced him to Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh which is his hometown.

Meanwhile, Kollam West Police station has also lodged an FIR against the bureaucrat for violating quarantine, based on a report by the local health department.

He has been booked 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.

On Friday, Kerala reported 39 new cases of COVID-19, taking the total number of cases in the state to 176 including 11 recovered.

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