Mumbai cops arrest woman for abandoning infant in Sion Hospital's washroom

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Sion Police apprehended Rizwan Khatun, also known as Heena Rafiq Khan (23), on charges of abandoning her newborn child in a restroom dustbin at Sion Hospital. The incident was brought to light on December 8, 2023, around 6:40 AM, when Saraswati Anant Dongre (36), a cleaner, discovered the infant's body in the hospital bathroom dustbin adjacent to the casualty ward during her routine cleaning. Rizwan Khatun faces charges under IPC 317 for the exposure and abandonment of a child under 12 years by a parent or caregiver. Additionally, she has been charged with IPC 315 for an act done with the intent to prevent a child from being born alive or to cause its death after birth.

During her routine cleaning, Saraswati noticed that a dustbin in the bathroom near the casualty ward was unusually heavy. Upon further inspection, she discovered a black-coloured bag containing an infant girl. She promptly informed Casualty ward doctor Raj Bhoir, who then notified Dr. Omkar Shelke from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Sion Hospital. After assessing the infant's vital signs, both doctors declared her deceased. An FIR was subsequently registered at Sion Police Station.

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An officer from Sion Police station while talking to mid-day said, "Upon scrutinizing CCTV footage from the time of the incident, a woman acting suspiciously, holding the infant in her arms and covering it with a cloth, was identified. Her image was circulated among police informants. Through technical investigation and information from a confidential informant, the woman was identified as Rizwan Khatun alias Heena Rafiq Khan. She was located at her residence in Saibaba Nagar, Dharavi, and taken into custody."

Another officer from Sion Police Station reported, "Rizwan was arrested under Section 317 of IPC and brought to Sion Police Station for further interrogation. During questioning, she admitted to conceiving the baby out of wedlock and, in an attempt to conceal her romantic involvement and the birth of the child, she left the baby in the hospital restroom."

According to Prashant Kadam, DCP Zone IV, "Rizwan confessed to committing the crime, stating that she was unmarried and had the baby as a result of a romantic relationship. However, she was not prepared for parenthood and decided to abandon the child in the washroom. Rizwan Khatun was produced in the court of law granting police custody for further investigations."

An insider source from Sion police station revealed, "A woman police officer was dispatched to Rizwan's location, where she was arrested. The suspect's confession aligned with her desire to keep the pregnancy and birth hidden from her family members. She also confessed to delivering the baby elsewhere and then leaving her in the Sion Hospital Restroom."