Migrant workers quarantined at a government high school in Sitamarhi district of Bihar assaulted government officials and police on Thursday after their isolation period was extended when some of them tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Block development officer (BDO) Yunus Salim, a circle officer and a few other officials were injured in the attack at Saryu Rai High School in Sursand block. An FIR has been registered against around 50 migrant workers.

Sitamarhi district magistrate Abhilasha Kumari Sharma told The Telegraph that five of the 100-odd migrant workers at the centre who had returned from Delhi had tested positive for the coronavirus over the past two days.

“We have declared the area a containment zone. Incidentally, the 14-day quarantine period of a few migrant workers at the centre was to end today (Thursday). They started insisting that they be released and allowed to go home. But we did not allow them to go because of the virus cases. This led to a scuffle. Some officials have suffered injuries that are not serious,” Sharma said.

The infected persons have been shifted to the Covid health centre in Sitamarhi town and their contacts are being traced.

“Our purpose for not releasing the migrant workers who had completed their quarantine period was to stop the possibility of any further spread of the coronavirus in the area. Daily tests and medical screening are being done for all migrant workers at the centre as per the guidelines issued by the health department,” Sharma said.

Sources in Sursand said that apart from those who had completed their quarantine period, the other inmates of the centre had also panicked after some of the migrants tested positive. They tried to flee the centre but were stopped by the officials and some policemen. A scuffle led to injuries on both sides. Some of the migrants also hurled bricks, the sources said.

“The situation is under control and the inmates have understood the circumstances,” the district magistrate said.