Barsoi circle officer Vijay Kumar Sinha has gone missing from his office three days ago, a complaint filed at Barsoi police station stated on Friday.

Barsoi sub-divisional officer Mahendra Pal has reported Sinha's missing at the police station, around 295km northeast of Patna on Friday.

Pal said he tried his best to contact Sinha in the past three days but his personal and home contact numbers were found switched off. Sinha is a resident of Patna.

Works are piling up in Sinha's absence at the Barsoi block. Works falling under the Right to Public Service (RTPS) Act, such as income certificate, residential certificate, mutation among others. People are flocking to the block office but delivery of service has stalled because there is no alternative arrangement yet. Pal has informed the district magistrate that the circle officer is missing.

Pal said: 'The Barsoi circle officer is absent from his office for the past three days. In the past three days, I strived hard to contact him on his personal and home numbers but all phones were switched off. We have filed a report at the Barsoi police station in this regard.'

He added: 'We have a large number of applicants who need income, residential certificates, and completion of their mutation work on time as has been specified under the RTPS. The applicants are fed up after returning from the office, while elections to the primary agricultural credit society is due in other parts of the district where we need officials too.'

Barsoi station house officer Abhay Kumar Yadav said: 'We have received an application from the SDM (Pal) of Barsoi stating Vijay Kumar Sinha's missing and abstaining from office for the past three days. We have started a probe into the matter so that the officer could be recovered as soon as possible.'?

He added: 'A search operation is on. It could be possible that the circle officer has gone on leave without informing his higher officers because of work pressure. Only a probe would reveal everything.'