A pregnant woman, who was arrested and kept in a jail at Rayagada in Odisha for 16 days, has died due to post-delivery complications a day after her release.
Thirty year-old Sulabati Naik, a resident of Andrakanch village under Maikanch panchayat and wife of a daily wage labourer, died on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, her family claimed.
Sulabati, who was nine months' pregnant, was among 13 women arrested by the police on December 26 last year for staging a peaceful demonstration demanding jobs in a private company as they reside in its periphery, the family said.
She went into labour soon after she stepped out of the prison on Tuesday evening and was rushed to the district headquarters hospital. On Wednesday night the woman delivered a son and as her condition deteriorated she was referred to the SLN Medical College and Hospital, about 70 km away from Andrakanch, her husband Baidya Naik said.
The woman died on way to the Koraput hospital at around 1.30 am, he said.
The infant has been kept under observation at the special newborn care unit of the Rayagada hospital, Baidya said.
Her relative Tulsi Naik said the woman was remanded to jail custody after her bail was rejected by a Kashipur court as police had slapped charges against her under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) among others.
“After the court reopened on January 2, we had filed the bail application but it got delayed as police sought her remand in two separate old cases. Her bail application was finally accepted on Tuesday (January 10),” her husband said.
"Baidya is a daily wage earner and the couple also has a 10 year-old daughter. We demand adequate compensation for the bereaved family from the government,” Tulsi added.
When contacted SP (Rayagada) Vivekananda Sharma said, “The matter will be looked into and necessary action will be taken.” Koraput Congress MP Saptagri Ulaka has demanded an impartial inquiry into the incident.
“How could the police arrest a woman in an advanced stage of pregnancy, that too under attempt to murder charges? This has to be properly investigated," he said.
Ulaka also questioned whether the woman was provided with adequate medical assistance during her stay in the jail and needs to be looked into.
"We demand Rs one crore compensation for the bereaved family and will seek the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission,” he added. PTI COR AAM KK KK KK
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