Daycare abuse case: Bengaluru police to inspect all daycare centres for compliance

AFter the alleged blackguard of toddlers at a day care centre interior an IT companion campus hither surfaced, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh on Thursday assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible.He also said the police would ascertain whether other daycare centres are operating in compliance with the prescribed rules and regulation.An FIR has been registered against five women employees of the daycare centre inside the IT company, Capgemini, in Brookefield here for allegedly physically abusing toddlers.In a statement, Capgemini said as a precautionary measure, they are temporarily closing the Bengaluru on-campus daycare facility.Also Read | Toddlers abused, 5 nannies booked, facility shut temporarily: Inside the Bengaluru daycare caseThe matter came to light after videos purportedly showing the abuse were shared via WhatsApp and reported to the Child Helpline.Speaking to reporters here, the City Police Commissioner said that in HAL Police Station limits, a complaint was received from the Child Protection Officer naming five women staff members working at a daycare facility inside an IT company."We are examining the complaint and the videos submitted as evidence. The Joint Commissioner of Police, East, and the DCP in charge of Whitefield are currently at the location verifying the facts," he said.Terming the incident as a "very serious issue", the officer said they will take the strictest possible action."We were not aware of this incident earlier. As soon as we came to know, a case was registered immediately. Not only this, we will be looking into any other facilities which are running like this," he said.The Commissioner said the police would also be examining other such daycare centres as well to check if they are operating as per local rules and regulations."We have asked the concerned department that filed the complaint to provide us with a list of all such daycare units, and whether they are authorised and following the prescribed guidelines," he said.The IT company claimed that Capgemini's foremost priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of its employees and their families."We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities and assisting them in their efforts to establish the facts," it said, in the statement.A woman officer of Deputy Commissioner rank has been deputed to probe the alleged abuse at the daycare facility of the IT company."Both she and the Joint Commissioner, East, are personally looking into this serious matter. We are verifying the details as the complaint was received only yesterday. More than immediate arrests, our priority is to ensure that the perpetrators do not escape. If anyone has supported them, or if this has been happening for a long time, all such acts will be brought to light. No one will be spared," Singh added.He added that the videos of the alleged abuse are being verified while CCTV footage and all other technical evidence are being examined thoroughly.Police said the videos showed children crying and subjected to physical abuse and torture by the caregivers.According to police, the purported videos showed caregivers threatening toddlers, aged between two and three years old, when they cried or caused disturbance.The complaint alleged that the women put children inside a front-loading washing machine, made them sit in a western-style toilet, sprayed water into their mouths using a toilet jet spray, locked them inside bathrooms, and threatened them to keep quiet.