A group of migrant workers who have completed 14 days of quarantine in South Dinajpur have refused to leave the centre unless their swab samples were tested.

In all, 18 workers who reside in different villages under Boaldar panchayat of Balurghat have returned from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telengana about a fortnight back. They were initially taken to a rural hospital, screened and then sent to a primary school in quarantine.

The workers said that on their arrival, health workers had promised their swab samples would be taken for tests.

Amal Burman, a migrant worker who returned from Maharashtra, said that they would not leave the quarantine centre before their swab samples were tested and results handed over to them.

“It is fine that none of us showed symptoms of being infected by Covid-19, but then many have remained asymptomatic and yet tested positive for the disease,” said Burman.

Another worker said: “We are insisting on the tests for the safety of our families. Also, once we have test reports with us, none of us will face problems in entering our villages. There have been incidents where even after spending 14 days in quarantine, migrant workers have faced hostility while entering their villages and have been forced to stay in home quarantine despite not showing Covid-like symptoms.”

Trinamul MP and South Dinajpur district party chief Arpita Ghosh she would speak with district health officials to see that all necessary protocols were followed and the workers could return to their homes. “If government directives say tests should be done, they have to be done,” she said.

Migrant dies

Dilip Pandit, 65, who had returned from Maharashtra on June 1, died early on Sunday at a quarantine centre at Pagliganj in Balurghat. The body has been sent for autopsy.