Sikkim police on Monday filed a case against two visiting technicians who tested positive for Covid-19 for allegedly violating the Covid-19 protocol and endangering the lives of others.

The duo were part of a five-member team from Calcutta and Delhi and visited Gangtok on August 6 for maintenance work at State Data Centre at the IT department’s invitation.

IT secretary Mrinalini Shrivastava sought special permission from the East Sikkim administration for the team’s entry. Granting permission, the district administration had stated that the team would have to undergo rapid antigen test at the entry point, and travel to their places of work and stay in an ambulance under police cover at all times.

During their week-plus stay, the team visited other places and met some MLAs, including Aditya Golay, son of chief minister P.S. Tamang (Golay), and bureaucrats at meetings facilitated by the IT department. Two team members tested positive on Sunday.

The police filed a case against the two under IPC sections for disobedience of public order and endangering lives of others, and for refusing to comply with the government directive under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

S. C. Gupta, the state’s chief secretary, sought an explanation from IT secretary Shrivastava on the issue.

Since some meetings took place at the Tashiling secretariat in Gangtok, the entire complex has been declared as a containment zone.

The incident created a furore in Sikkim with many wondering why the administration had not acted with same alacrity against politicians and bureaucrats as they did against the technician duo.