Bengaluru: Two staff members have been taken into custody in connection with alleged abuse at a Bengaluru daycare centre, police said on Friday, as Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge reiterated the government’s “zero tolerance” stance on crimes involving children.
HAL police arrested one accused, identified as Vijayalakshmi, and detained another pending formal arrest procedures. Investigators are questioning both to determine the whereabouts of the remaining staff, who are reportedly evading arrest with their mobile phones switched off. Three other employees have already been questioned and asked to remain available to investigators.
A special police team and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of senior officers have been constituted to probe the matter. Authorities conducted a spot mahazar at the Society General Baby Care Centre in Brookefield, examined the premises and are scrutinising CCTV footage. Statements have been recorded from parents of three children; around eight to ten staff members have been questioned overall.
The case surfaced after disturbing videos alleged to show toddlers being physically assaulted at the daycare were circulated on social media and forwarded to the Child Welfare Committee. The five accused have been named as Manjula, Vijayalakshmi, Bhavani, Sindhu and Bindu.
An FIR registered at HAL Police Station cites Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, following a complaint by Tilakesh Kumar of K.R. Puram. The complaint alleges physical and mental abuse, including beating, locking children in bathrooms, intimidating them, placing a child in a washing machine to frighten them, forcing toddlers to sit on a western-style toilet and inserting a water pipe into their mouths. Police continue to verify the videos, record witness statements and gather evidence while efforts to apprehend the remaining accused continue.
Home Minister Kharge said the government has sought a detailed report from the department and stressed that daycare centres must follow Standard Operating Procedures and conduct background checks on staff. “We have zero tolerance regarding this incident,” he said, adding that higher standards are expected for facilities caring for young children.
(Inputs from IANS)