Flat leap Lankan maid flees hospital

Mandeep SINGH

MANAMA: A maid injured when she jumped from the second floor of an apartment building in Manama in an apparent suicide attempt has disappeared from hospital.

The woman, in her 30s, was taken to Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) at around midnight on Wednesday, after she was found screaming in the street by passers-by at around 11 p.m. She identified herself only as Shanti, told doctors that she had been abused by her employer, who was not her sponsor and had threatened to kill herself.

The woman said she jumped from the window after an argument with him and landed on a pile of old mattresses, which she had herself thrown out that morning.

“Cushioned by the mattresses, the woman landed in a garbage bin and fractured her right arm,” said a doctor. “She was apparently in shock when she came to the hospital and was hysterical. She did not have a CPR card, but said she was from Sri Lanka.”

The doctor said she was admitted for observation and her arm put in plaster, but when the police were summoned later to file a report, she had vanished.

“A report has, however, been filed at the SMC police post,” said the doctor.

An official at the Naim police station said they were trying to question the owner of the building to find out which flat the woman was working in. Sri Lankan Honorary Consul in Bahrain P B Higgoda, said he was not aware of the incident.

“However, we shall make our own investigations and co-ordinate with the police in trying to identify her,” he said. Mr Higgoda said it was likely she was an illegal worker and if she was traced, he would help her to take advantage of the current amnesty.

Migrant Workers Protection Committee action panel head Marietta Dias said such incidents were becoming commonplace. “However, we are not aware of this particular case and if and when it is brought to our notice, we shall take appropriate action,” she said.

Gulf Daily News