An estimated 22 migrant labourers, who had returned from other states and were put under the prescribed 14-day quarantine at Rishi Bhawan here, have escaped, locals said on Tuesday.
A video of the incident has surfaced on the social media in which labourers can be seen rushing out of the quarantine centre along with their bags.
"Nearly 85 migrant labourers have been put under quarantine at Rishi Bhawan. My house is adjacent to it. Today morning we provided milk, tea and food as the migrant labourers were complaining that they are hungry. The administration is not able to provide them enough food and required facilities. About 22 labourers escaped in the morning by breaking lock of the quarantine centre," said Ramji Shah, a local resident.
The migrant labourers present at the quarantine centre complained about lack of facilities.
"We came from Bathinda in Punjab. They are not providing us food on time. We have been locked here. There are no facilities here," said a labourer from the gate of quarantine centre as others supported him.
Kathihar District Magistrate Kanwal Tanuj said the number of labourers who escaped is not known yet.
Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) targeted Bihar government over the incident.
"It is a very unfortunate incident. Bihar government is consistently failing in handling this crisis. Labourers were helped by neighbours. Government is not helping them. I demand from the administration that action must be taken against those who were deployed to monitor the quarantined people. It is first such incident, it is shameful," said Aashu Pandey, RJD's youth wing general secretary of Katihar unit.
However, JDU's Katihar district unit president Sanjeev Shrivastav said the state government is helping everyone during the lockdown.
"We are helping every person during the lockdown. We are bringing back stranded migrant labourers from other states. The matter is being investigated. Food and relevant facilities are being provided. More details are being sought and action will be taken against the administrators if found guilty," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )