Bengaluru: A shocking case of alleged child abuse at a daycare centre operating inside Capgemini’s Brookefield campus in Bengaluru has triggered widespread outrage and prompted a police investigation. Five caregivers have been booked after videos purportedly showing toddlers being subjected to physical and mental abuse surfaced on social media, raising serious concerns about child safety in daycare facilities.
According to the police, the accused caregivers have been identified as Manjula, Vijayalakshmi, Bhavani, Sindhu and Bindu. They have been booked under relevant provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The FIR was registered on June 29 following a complaint filed by Tilakesh Kumar, a legal-cum-probation officer with the District Child Protection Unit, after he received multiple videos through WhatsApp allegedly documenting the abuse.
The videos reportedly depict children between the ages of two and three being subjected to disturbing treatment whenever they cried or caused a disturbance. Allegations include toddlers being made to sit inside a front-loading washing machine, being locked inside bathrooms, and having water sprayed into their mouths using a toilet jet spray. The children are reportedly the sons and daughters of employees working at the technology campus.
Police have inspected the daycare premises, collected CCTV footage and launched a detailed investigation into the incident. Authorities are also verifying the authenticity of the videos and reconstructing the sequence of events. Investigators are recording statements from complainants, daycare staff and other witnesses, while notices are expected to be issued to the five caregivers directing them to appear for questioning.
Officials also plan to interact with parents and guardians to determine whether the children displayed any signs of physical or emotional distress or had complained about their treatment at the facility. In addition to the police investigation, a separate complaint has been submitted to the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, seeking its intervention in the matter.
Police sources indicated that the videos were allegedly recorded by a staff member whose friend had recently been dismissed from the daycare, though investigators are continuing to verify all aspects surrounding the recording and circulation of the footage.
Responding to the incident, Capgemini stated that the health, safety and well-being of its employees and their families remain its highest priority. The company said it is fully cooperating with the authorities in establishing the facts and, as a precautionary measure, has temporarily closed its Bengaluru on-campus daycare facility while the investigation continues.
