Burqa Blues: When Undertrial Justice Goes Off Script The recent case of Mamta, a 49 year old woman undertrial who escaped from a hospital in Bareilly by disguising herself as a Muslim woman, raises more questions than answers about our justice system's handling of vulnerable defendants.
The incident is particularly striking because it underscores the way accused persons, especially women, are treated within the judicial process.
Mamta allegedly changed into a burqa in the hospital washroom and left unnoticed. Her escape highlights not only security lapses but also a deeper issue: our tendency to conflate responsibility with accountability.