BENGALURU: In a horrific incident, toddlers were allegedly subjected to physical abuse at a daycare centre located inside an IT company campus in HAL police limits. The caregivers allegedly placed children inside a washing machine, sprayed water into their mouths using toilet jet sprays, and locked them inside a washroom for crying or creating a disturbance.
According to the FIR registered at HAL police station on June 29, based on a complaint filed by an official of the District Child Protection Unit, Bengaluru East, the incident occurred at Society General Baby Care, a daycare facility operating on the Capgemini Technology Services India campus in Brookefield, where employees of the IT company leave their children during working hours.
The complaint stated that the Child Helpline received videos allegedly showing children being subjected to mental and physical abuse by daycare caregivers Manjula, Vijayalakshmi, Bhavani, Sindhu and Bindu.
It is alleged that whenever the children cried or created a disturbance, the caregivers intimidated them by placing them inside a front loading washing machine, making them sit inside a Western-style toilet commode, forcefully spraying water into their mouths using the health faucet, locking them inside bathrooms, and subjecting them to other forms of physical abuse.
According to the videos, more than 15 toddlers aged between two and four years were present at the daycare. The videos show children crying while the caregivers allegedly threaten them and lock them inside a washroom.
HAL police registered the FIR against the daycare in-charge and four caregivers under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act.
Police are questioning the accused women and verifying the authenticity of the videos, when the incidents occurred, and how many children were subjected to similar abuse.