The prison authorities on Sunday evening were taken by surprise, when they had to attend to an incoming guest in the throes of labour pain.
The situation took such a turn that instead of taking her inside, they had to summon the prison ‘doctor’ and staff nurse to help her deliver the child.
Nagaveni (20) was brought to the Central prison at Parappana Agrahara along with her ‘husband’ Sunil Kumar alias Sunil at around 10.30 pm on Sunday, by the Ramamurthy Nagar police. The duo were arrested on charges of theft under, Section 381 of IPC.
“We were not aware of Nagaveni’s condition. She developed labour pain at the entrance and we had to rush Dr Basavaraj, who helps in treating prisoners at the prison hospital. He, with the help of nurse Damayanthi, attended to Nagaveni and helped her in delivering her child. She gave birth to a male child, just near the entrance of the prison. We had to convert the place into a temporary clinic,” said V S Raja, chief superintendent, Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara. Police escort
Nagaveni was immediately shifted to Vani Vilas Hospital along with the same police escort who had got her here. “The mother and the child are doing well,” he added.
This is the first such case, in which an accused woman delivered her child before entering the prison.
“The police should have informed us. We were not prepared for the emergency. Thankfully, we managed to help her,” said the prison officer.
Nagaveni and Sunil were arrested by Ramamurthy Nagar police on Sunday on charges of theft. “Sunil, a daily wage worker, told her to give him some money to pay off his dues.
He had taken a loan of Rs 5,000. She stole a gold chain worth around Rs 10,000 from her neighbour and gave him. The police arrested him also because he had the chain with him,” said Mr Raja.
Nagaveni and Sunil are not married. “They have exchanged rings and are planning to get married. She used to live with her parents,” said the officer.
Nagaveni’s arrest raises the question of the sensitivity of the police officials in dealing with female prisoners, especially those in the family way. “They could have pro-actively asked for her bail, on humanitarian grounds,” said another prison officer.
