Pregnant Woman, Arrested for Illegal Stay, Flees Mumbai Hospital

A pregnant woman from Bangladesh, who was arrested for residing in India illegally, has escaped from J.J. Hospital in Mumbai. The woman, who was admitted to the hospital for medical care, fled on August 14th. The police were guarding her during her hospital stay. The woman managed to escape by pushing past a police officer. The incident has sparked a review of security measures at hospitals and jails. The woman, identified as Rubina Irshad Sheikh, had been using a forged birth certificate. She was arrested in Navi Mumbai on August 5th and was initially held in Byculla Women’s Jail. She was brought to the hospital for treatment of a skin ailment. Following her escape, the police have initiated a search and registered a case. The arrest and subsequent escape are part of a larger context of actions taken against illegal immigrants across the country. These actions have faced political opposition.