38-yr-old Dy Magistrate dies of COVID-19

Kolkata: A pall of gloom descended with the untimely death of brave COVID-19 warrior, the Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector of Chandernagore in Hooghly, after getting infected with the disease.

She is the first senior government officer to have succumbed to the infection in the state.

The 38-year-old WBCS officer and mother of a four-year-old, Debdutta Ray worked relentlessly to ensure safety of people since the beginning of the outbreak in the state and played a crucial role for safe return of migrant workers from different parts of the country. Recently, she tested positive along with her husband.

Saluting her great spirit and sacrifice, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in a letter to her husband: "I am extremely saddened to know about the unfortunate and untimely passing away of your wife... In the forefront of our fight against COVID-19, Debdutta was an outstanding warrior who fought this crisis with extreme courage and determination. We salute her great spirit and sacrifice for the state. In this moment of extreme grief, I convey my heartfelt condolences to you, to all members of your family and friends and colleagues of Debdutta."

A WBCS officer of the 2011 batch, she was initially posted as Block Development Officer at Purulia II. Later, she was transferred as Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector of Chandernagore subdivision in Hooghly. While posted at Chandernagore, she single-handedly managed the entire situation when migrant workers from different parts of the country started pouring into Dankuni station through the Shramik Special trains.

They are residents of Dum Dum in North 24-Parganas. Both Debdutta and her husband were undergoing treatment in a hospital at Barrackpore. There was a discussion to shift her to MR Bangur Hospital as her condition was deteriorating. But, she had to be shifted to Shramajibi Hospital at Serampore on Sunday as her condition suddenly worsened and she passed away on Monday morning.