Bengaluru: In a deeply disturbing incident that has sent shockwaves across Bengaluru’s IT community, five caregivers at a daycare centre operating inside the campus of a leading IT company have been booked after videos allegedly showed toddlers being subjected to horrific physical and mental abuse.
The shocking case has raised serious questions about the safety of children at workplace crèches, prompting a police investigation and the temporary closure of the facility by the company.
The daycare, located inside the company’s Brookefield campus, catered to children of employees, most of whom were aged between two and three years. The alleged victims were entrusted to the centre by working parents expecting a safe and nurturing environment.
According to the HAL Police, the accused caregivers — identified as Manjula, Vijayalakshmi, Bhavani, Sindhu and Bindu — have been booked under provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act for cruelty towards children, along with Section 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to criminal intimidation.
The case came to light after a Child Helpline official received four disturbing videos that allegedly captured repeated acts of abuse. The footage, reportedly recorded by a staff member, has been handed over to the police for investigation.
According to investigators, the videos allegedly show toddlers being placed inside a front-loading washing machine, sprayed in the mouth with water from a toilet jet, locked inside bathrooms to silence their cries and forced to sit on Western-style toilet commodes while being threatened into remaining quiet.
Videos under verification
Police described the allegations as extremely serious and said they were verifying the authenticity of the videos while examining whether the abuse was systematic and if more children were subjected to similar treatment.
Investigators have seized CCTV footage from the daycare centre and issued notices to all five accused to appear for questioning. Officials are also contacting parents of children enrolled at the facility to determine whether any behavioural changes or complaints by the toddlers had previously gone unnoticed.
Under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, cruelty by a caregiver towards a child can attract imprisonment ranging from three to 10 years.
Company statement
Responding to the incident, Capgemini said the safety and well-being of employees and their families remained its highest priority.
“Capgemini’s foremost priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of its employees and their families. We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities and assisting them in their efforts to establish the facts. As a precautionary measure, we are temporarily closing the Bengaluru on-campus daycare facility,” the company said in a statement.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among parents and child rights activists, who have demanded stricter regulation, mandatory CCTV monitoring, regular audits and stronger oversight of daycare centres operating within corporate campuses.
The investigation is continuing, and police are expected to examine additional evidence to determine the full extent of the alleged abuse and whether further legal action is warranted.
