Bengaluru daycare horror: Sacked whistleblower arrested for circulating abuse videos of toddlers
PTC News Desk: The woman who exposed the alleged abuse of children at a daycare centre inside the Bengaluru campus of Capgemini has been arrested for allegedly sharing the videos that showed the incidents.
Police said the woman circulated sensitive videos of children and caregivers, and action was taken against her for leaking the footage. Her arrest comes a day after she was taken in for questioning.
The whistleblower's family and activists had earlier raised concerns, saying police did not clearly explain why she was being questioned and kept at the station for several hours.
The videos shared by the woman showed disturbing scenes, including children as young as two years old sitting inside the drum of a front-loading washing machine while caregivers sprayed water on them. Another clip allegedly showed children being locked inside bathrooms. The videos went viral, leading to a police investigation and a complaint before the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
Soon after the videos became public, the daycare centre reportedly terminated the whistleblower's employment.
Officials said around 50 to 60 children were enrolled at the facility, with 15 to 20 attending daily. A district child protection officer told investigators that the abuse may have been systematic and involved young children left at the centre by employees.
Police have so far arrested two daycare staff members, Vijayalakshmi and Manjula, after finding what they described as substantial evidence against them. More arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
Capgemini said it is fully cooperating with authorities and has temporarily shut down the daycare facility. The company stated that the safety and well-being of employees and their families remain its top priority.
- With inputs from agencies
