State Bank of India Sonai Road branch manager tests positive for COVID19

The spread of the virus among bankers continues in Barak Valley. State Bank of India’s Sonai Road branch’s manager Sanjay Das has tested positive today. He becomes the second employee from the Branch to test positive. Cash Incharge Ashish Purakayastha had earlier tested positive and is already admitted in Green Heals Hospital.

Das lives with his family at a rented apartment in Ambicapatty Silchar. He got transferred from the Mahur branch of the bank.

Speaking with Barak Bulletin, he said, “I was tested today at ISBT using the rapid antigen test kit and my samples are positive. Along with me, another employee of the branch was tested. However, his reports show he is not infected by the virus.”

Sanjay Das said he will opt for home treatment, “It was mandatory for me to undergo the test as a colleague has tested positive,” he informed.

Many bankers in Barak Valley have already tested positive for the virus. On August 17, 2020, 45-year-old, Jibon Kumar Roy succumbed to the infection caused by COVID19. Roy was employed with State Bank of India as the head messenger at the main branch in Silchar.

With two senior officials testing positive from the Sonai Road branch, operations will be a challenge. What the SBI management decides remains to be seen. Many officials in the past had opined in favour of making the branch a containment zone for a limited period of time.

However, the administration has made it clear that the protocols do not say so. Additional deputy commissioner of Cachar Sumit Sattavan had said, “No commercial complex is to be contained.” He added, “All others to be tested, negative person to continue working after sanitisation of the premise.”