Locked In: Public and Officials Trapped Inside Government Building After Staff Oversight

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Udupi : A bizarre incident occurred at the Kaup Municipality building on Tuesday evening when several members of the public, along with the Member Secretary and staff of the Planning Authority, found themselves locked inside the premises. The Planning Authority office is situated on the first floor of the building, which shares a single main entrance with the Municipality office. At around 6:15 PM, while work was still ongoing and visitors were present, a Municipality staff member—unaware of the people upstairs—switched off the lights and securely bolted the main gate from the outside before leaving for the day.

The confusion arose due to a lapse in communication between the regular staff member responsible for locking up and a substitute who was covering for them due to illness. The substitute staff member reportedly failed to check the first floor for remaining occupants before locking the gate. When the Planning Authority officials and citizens finished their work and headed downstairs to leave, they were shocked to find the only exit barred. The situation caused brief panic, leading the trapped individuals to contact Municipality councilors, the Chief Officer, and the 112 police emergency helpline for immediate assistance.

Police arrived at the spot shortly after, and the Chief Officer directed the concerned staff to return with the keys. After being “confined” for nearly 30 minutes, the gate was finally opened, allowing everyone to leave. This incident has highlighted a long-standing dispute regarding the building’s access. While the Municipality usually closes at 6:00 PM, the Planning Authority often works late, especially on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, to accommodate visitors from Karkala. Planning Authority Member Secretary Supradeep noted that they had previously requested a separate set of keys to avoid such issues. In response, Chief Officer Neelakantha Mesta attributed the incident to a staff oversight and assured that a separate key would be provided to the Authority to prevent future recurrences.