Bengaluru: Bengaluru Police on Friday made the first arrest in the alleged abuse of toddlers at a daycare centre inside Capgemini’s Brookefield campus, days after disturbing videos showing children being mistreated sparked nationwide outrage.
The arrested woman, identified as Vijayalakshmi, is one of the five daycare workers named in the FIR. She has been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Juvenile Justice Act. Police said the investigation is ongoing and more arrests could follow.
The case came to light after videos allegedly recorded inside the daycare surfaced on social media. According to the complaint filed by the District Child Protection Unit, the caregivers allegedly locked toddlers inside bathrooms, forced some into the drum of a front loading washing machine, made children sit on western style toilets, sprayed water into their mouths using a toilet jet spray and threatened them into staying silent. Police are verifying the videos as part of the investigation.
The daycare, located inside Capgemini’s campus and operated by an outsourced agency, catered to children of employees. Officials said around 50 to 60 children were enrolled, with nearly 15 to 20 attending on a typical day.
Capgemini has temporarily shut the daycare centre and said it is fully cooperating with the authorities. The company said the safety and well being of employees children remains its highest priority and that it is assisting investigators.
The investigation has also taken a new turn after a child protection official alleged that a former employee had earlier reported the abuse but was dismissed from the job. Authorities are now looking into whether previous complaints were ignored before the videos surfaced.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru Police have appointed a senior woman officer to supervise the investigation and announced inspections of daycare centres across the city to ensure they comply with safety and childcare regulations. The accused caregivers have admitted to shouting at the children but have denied the more serious allegations.
The incident has sparked widespread concern among parents and child rights groups, who are demanding stricter monitoring, regular inspections and stronger safeguards for daycare centres operating in corporate campuses. Police said the probe is continuing and further action will be taken based on the evidence collected.
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