COVID-19: Security personnel guarding Srinagar mayor put in isolation

Security personnel guarding Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu were put in isolation after a family member of an employee in his office tested positive for the novel coronavirus, officials said on Wednesday.

The employee, whose brother tested COVID-19 positive, works as a generator operator at the Srinagar Municipal Complex.

Mattu said the precautionary step was taken because of the security personnel station's proximity to the generator room.

In a letter to the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) 10th Battalion's commandant, the senior superintendent of police (SSP) for the Police Control Room in Kashmir on Tuesday asked him to put his men on escort duty with the mayor for the last 10 days in isolation as a precautionary measure.

The personnel from the battalion were deployed for escort duties with the mayor and there are chances that they could have come in contact with the generator operator or any other official from security or other departments who may be in contact with the generator operator, according to the letter.

"In view of the above facts the nafri (personnel) of SSB 10th battalion who were deployed for escort duty for last 10 days with the mayor may be kept in isolation being probable suspects for COVID-19 as precautionary measure," it stated.

Mattu said the order was an exercise in caution and he has had no contact with SMC employees.

"I'm perfectly fine and healthy. The order issued by SSP-PCR is an exercise in caution. I haven't come in contact with the said employee (whose brother has tested positive). The employee hasn't tested positive but has submitted himself for screening and testing," the mayor tweeted.

Mattu said the security personnel were sent into isolation because of the proximity of their station to the generator room.

"Not *my* generator operator. The brother of the generator operator of the entire SMC complex! Have had no contact with him whatsoever. The Escort Personnel and SSB deployment sent into isolation because of the proximity of their station with the generator room. Just precautions, he said reacting to a barrage of tweets.