Bengaluru: Allegations of brutal mistreatment of toddlers at a daycare centre linked to Capgemini in Bengaluru have sparked outrage after disturbing videos surfaced showing caregivers allegedly threatening and abusing children aged two to three years.
The Bengaluru facility was operated by outsourced service provider Little Scholars, and the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) on Saturday said Capgemini “does not bear direct liability” in the incident at this stage,as reported by Mint. The commission said the case remains under investigation and officials have not reached any final conclusion.
Alleged Abuse
According to the allegations, the videos show caregivers placing children inside a front-loading washing machine, making them sit on a western-style toilet, spraying water into their mouths using a toilet jet spray, locking them in bathrooms and threatening them into silence. The footage reportedly brought the matter to light and triggered a wider probe into the daycare’s functioning.
Safety Steps
KSCPCR said it is recommending stronger child-safety measures across daycare facilities, including mandatory training for all staff before deployment, revised standard operating procedures and more transparency through parental access to CCTV footage. The commission said a formal communication on these recommendations will be sent to the government.
It also said support measures for the affected families are being started. “Counselling sessions for parents are scheduled to be conducted at NIMHANS next week. Children who are able to communicate will also undergo age-appropriate interaction and counselling as part of the process,” the commission said.
Two Arrested
So far, two people — Sujatha and Vijayalakshmi — have been arrested in connection with the case. “The role of other individuals remains under investigation. Officials are also examining adherence to applicable policies, operational procedures and other aspects of the Little Scholars’ functioning,” the KSCPCR said.
A team from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) also visited the day-care facility over the past two days and is expected to submit its findings and recommendations to the government.
Capgemini’s Response
Capgemini said it had temporarily shut the centre and extended the work-from-home option to employees as part of support measures for affected families. In its July 4 statement, the company said it had taken “a number of concrete actions in the last 48 hours,” including closing the facility, cooperating with authorities, offering helpline support, counselling through its Employee Assistance Programme and flexible work-from-home options.
“At Capgemini, the safety and well-being of every child remain our highest priority. The situation reported at the day-care facility in Bengaluru, operated by the external provider Little Scholars, is being treated with the utmost seriousness. Our first thoughts are with the children and their families,” the company said.
Capgemini added that it was reassessing day-care providers across all its facilities in India.
