Mumbai: A migrant woman who gave birth while in custody and was left without support after securing bail was reunited with her family in Madhya Pradesh, thanks to coordinated efforts by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), jail officials and police personnel.
The woman, originally from Alirajpur district in Madhya Pradesh, had migrated to Gujarat with her family in search of daily-wage employment.
She was lodged in Nadiad District Jail as a co-accused in a case registered in Khambhat town of Anand district under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
According to officials, the pregnant woman was named as a co-accused alongside her husband and brother-in-law in an alleged kidnapping case involving a minor girl. Her brother-in-law is accused of abducting the minor.
When the woman was moved to Nadiad District Jail, she was pregnant and accompanied by her two-year-old child.
On May 21, after experiencing labour pains, she was taken to Nadiad Civil Hospital and later referred to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for specialised treatment, where she gave birth to a baby boy.
Following her treatment, she returned to the jail with her newborn son. She was subsequently living in custody with both her two-year-old child and her infant.
Although a local court later granted her bail, no family member or relative came forward to secure her release.
Her husband and brother-in-law remained in custody, while the family’s financial circumstances left her without the means to return home.
Recognising her situation, the DLSA in Anand, provided legal assistance and requested that jail authorities facilitate her safe return to her native village, taking into account her health condition and the needs of her newborn child.
Under the guidance of Director General of Police (DGP), K.L.N. Rao, Nadiad District Jail police arranged a special vehicle with support from a local charitable organisation to transport the woman and her children to Alirajpur district in Madhya Pradesh.
Two police constables accompanied the mother and her children during the journey.
Upon arrival in her village, local police were informed and participated in the process of ensuring her safe handover to family members.
Officials said the woman’s family expressed gratitude to the DLSA, Nadiad District Jail authorities, Gujarat Police and others involved in facilitating her return.
The intervention allowed the young mother, travelling with a newborn and a toddler, to be reunited with her family after finding herself without support following her release on bail.
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–IANS
