A seven-month pregnant woman gave birth to a baby girl inside a police van, in which she was being taken to a hospital after collapsing due to dizziness at Worli in Mumbai, an official said on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening, in which two women police personnel and a local girl assisted the woman during her delivery in the vehicle before she was admitted to a hospital, the official said.
"The pregnant woman collapsed to the ground in Worli due to dizziness. As she had started feeling labour pains, police's assistance was sought," he said, adding that a wireless van of the Worli police soon reached the spot.
The woman's condition was critical, he said.
The police sub inspector Reshma Patil, police constable Sakpal and assistant sub inspector Mane and local resident Priya Jadhav immediately got into action and helped the woman and took her into the police van, he added.
"As there was no time to wait for the ambulance, the female police personnel decided to rush the woman to a hospital. However, the woman delivered a girl child in the police van on the way," the official said.
The female police staff and the local girl took care of the woman and her new born baby in the vehicle and admitted them to the civic-run Nair Hospital, he said, adding the woman and her baby are safe.
The act of the police personnel and their timely help earned praise from netizens.
The Mumbai police said on the Twitter handle, "It's A Girl! When a pregnant lady fainted near Worli Naka, 2 wireless vans set out to her rescue. In no time, they were en route Nair Hospital. However, the lady soon went into labour & her delivery had to be executed in the moving van. Mother & daughter are both safe now."
Senior police official (Law and Order) Vishwas Nangre Patil shared the incident on Facebook, which received thousands likes and hundreds of comments.
"Proud of Mumbai police team which could render timely help to a pregnant woman in distress and could make the safe delivery of baby girl possible in the police van in emergency during difficult times of COVID," Nangre Patil said.
