Bengaluru Daycare Abuse: First Arrest in Capgemini Campus Crèche Case

The first arrest in the alleged abuse of toddlers at a daycare centre operating inside Capgemini's Bengaluru campus has intensified scrutiny not only on the disturbing acts caught on camera but also on the legal framework governing workplace childcare facilities in India.

Police on Friday arrested one of the caregivers employed at the daycare centre after videos purportedly showing children being subjected to physical and verbal abuse triggered widespread outrage. The videos were recorded by a daycare employee who had been dismissed from the facility and was on notice period.

The facility, located within Capgemini Technology Services India Limited's Brookefield campus and operated by a third-party service provider, had already been temporarily shut by the company, which has said it is cooperating with the investigation.

The FIR in the case was registered on June 29 at the HAL Police Station based on a complaint filed by Tilakesh Kumar, a legal-cum-probation officer with the District Child Protection Unit, who had received information about the alleged abuse through a phone call. According to him, the daycare had approximately 50 to 60 children enrolled, of whom 15 to 20 attended daily. He further said that the abuse was not an isolated incident but had likely been occurring for a long time.

The FIR names Manjula, Vijayalakshmi, Bhavani, Sindhu and Bindu under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.

On Friday, police arrested Vijayalakshmi after identifying her as the caregiver allegedly seen assaulting children in a viral video that surfaced online.

According to the complaint, the caregivers allegedly subjected toddlers to a series of degrading and abusive acts while they were in their care. It alleges that children were placed inside a front-loading washing machine, made to sit on a western-style toilet, sprayed with water in their mouths using a toilet jet spray, locked inside bathrooms and threatened into remaining silent. The children attending the daycare are the wards of employees working at the technology company.

Police have inspected the daycare premises and collected CCTV footage as part of the investigation. As per reports, they are examining both the complaint and the videos submitted as evidence.

Authorities have also widened the probe, with a senior police officer leading the investigation and officials examining the functioning of daycare centres across Bengaluru.

Reports have also indicated that a former employee had allegedly flagged concerns over the treatment of children earlier, but no action was taken at the time.

The case has reignited concerns among working parents, many of whom rely on employer-provided childcare while at work.

[Inputs: TOI]