Bengaluru police have registered a criminal case against five caregivers employed at an on-campus daycare centre operated at Capgemini Technology Services India Limited’s Brookfield campus following allegations of physical abuse, intimidation and cruelty towards young children.
The FIR was lodged on June 29 at the HAL Police Station based on a complaint filed by Tilakesh Kumar, a legal-cum-probation officer with the District Child Protection Unit. The case invokes charges related to criminal intimidation and cruelty to children.The accused have been identified as Manjula, Vijayalakshmi, Bhavani, Sindhu and Bindu, all of whom were employed as caregivers at the daycare facility used by Capgemini employees.According to the complaint, Kumar received WhatsApp videos purportedly showing toddlers crying while being subjected to abusive treatment. The videos prompted him to approach the police.
The complaint states that the alleged abuse came to light on June 25 after inquiries into the functioning of the creche. Instead of ensuring the children’s safety and well-being, the caregivers allegedly assaulted and mentally harassed them.
Among the allegations are that crying children were locked inside washing machines to scare them, forced into narrow water-filled pipes, confined in bathroom spaces, and subjected to other forms of physical intimidation.The daycare caters to the children of employees working at the Capgemini campus, allowing parents to leave their toddlers in the facility during office hours.”The toddlers belonged to professionals working at the campus who leave their young kids at the facility while on duty. Parents and officials were horrified to see the manner in which the care staff was handling these toddlers,” a police officer said.Deputy Commissioner of Police (Whitefield Division) Saidulu Adavath confirmed that a case has been registered and an investigation is underway.”We have initiated an investigation. Notices will be served to the individuals responsible, and they will be summoned for interrogation,” Adavath said.