A deputy magistrate in West Bengal, deployed for supervising the migrant movements in the state amid the nationwide lockdown, died due to COVID-19 on Monday, the state health department informed.

Debdatta Ray, 38, was a West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) officer and posted as the deputy magistrate of Chandannagar subdivision in Hooghly district. She reported virus symptoms earlier in the month of July and had tested positive last week at a hospital in Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district.

She was advised to quarantine at home at Lichu Bagan in the Dum Dum area of North Kolkata.

She developed severe respiratory problems on Sunday and was immediately rushed to the Shramjivi Hospital in Serampore, where she succumbed to the infection the next morning.

Ray is the first senior civil servant to die of the coronavirus in the state, and is survived by her husband and a four-year-old son.

Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee offered her condolences and lauded her for the sensible handling of the situation in the posted area and her contribution to the state in combating the ongoing pandemic.

Grieved to hear about the untimely passing away of Debdatta Ray, who was posted as Deputy Magistrate & Deputy Collector in Chandannagar. A young WBCS (Exe) Officer, she was at the forefront fighting the pandemic & displayed outstanding devotion in discharge of her duties. (1/2)

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) July 13, 2020

Ray had been deployed in-charge to monitor shramik trains carrying migrants into Hooghly district in Bengal and the camps in Dankuni where they were housed, NDTV reported.

A 2010 batch officer of West Bengal Civil Services (WBCS), Ray was stationed as a Block Development Officer (BDO) at Purulia before transferring to Chandannagar as Deputy Magistrate. Colleagues are shocked and devastated at her passing, shared her pictures on social media and offered condolences.

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