Parents send their children to daycare expecting them to be safe.
But a daycare operating inside Capgemini's Bengaluru campus is now under investigation after disturbing videos allegedly showed toddlers being abused by caregivers.
The footage has sparked outrage, leading to an FIR against five women caregivers and an investigation by Bengaluru Police. Child rights authorities have also stepped in.
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What Happened?
According to the complaint, children as young as two were allegedly punished for crying.
The videos purportedly show caregivers:
Making toddlers sit inside the drum of a front-loading washing machine.
Spraying water into their mouths using a toilet jet spray.
Locking children inside bathrooms.
Forcing some children into narrow water-filled pipes to frighten them.
Police are verifying the videos as part of their investigation.
Update: District Child Protection Unit probation officer Tilakesh Kumar told NDTV that the alleged abuse may have been going on for a long time. According to him, around 50 to 60 children were enrolled at the daycare, with 15 to 20 attending on a typical day.
Update: Kumar alleged that an earlier whistleblower had informed a supervisor about the abuse, but no action was taken. He also claimed the whistleblower was later dismissed. These claims have not been independently verified.
Update: Kumar said officials had suspected child abuse earlier but lacked evidence until the videos surfaced. He said the footage was later shared with the child protection unit, following which officials filed a complaint with the police.
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FIR Registered Against Five Caregivers
The HAL Police registered an FIR after the district child protection unit received videos of the alleged abuse.
The complaint names five caregivers employed at the daycare.
Police are recording statements from parents, staff and other witnesses. Further action will depend on the findings of the investigation.
Was The Daycare Run By Capgemini?
The alleged abuse took place inside an on-campus daycare at Capgemini's Brookfield office in Bengaluru.
Capgemini has temporarily shut the facility and said it is cooperating with authorities.
The company said the health, safety and wellbeing of employees and their families remains its top priority while the investigation continues.
It is not yet clear whether the daycare was directly operated by Capgemini or by an external service provider.
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Child Rights Commission Also Steps In
The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also taken note of the case.
The commission is expected to seek a report from authorities while conducting its own examination of the allegations.
Police are continuing to verify the footage and establish the sequence of events.
Child Rights Commission Steps In
Update: The videos have also been submitted to the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which is expected to seek a report from authorities while conducting its own examination of the allegations.
Police are continuing to verify the footage and establish the sequence of events.
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