Tied to chair, ears yanked: 3-year-old brutally assaulted at Delhi playschool; attendant arrested

New Delhi: A 35-year-old nursery school attendant in Maujpur, Delhi, has been arrested for allegedly abusing a three-year-old boy, police confirmed on Sunday.

Authorities registered a criminal case on Friday after receiving a formal complaint from the child's father. Four individuals have been named in the investigation: the institution's director, the principal, a 30-year-old teacher, and the attendant.

While the attendant remains in police custody, the teacher has been directed to cooperate with the ongoing inquiry. Officers added that they are also reviewing the potential involvement of both the director and principal.

The toddler's family first grew concerned upon discovering physical injuries alongside sudden shifts in his behaviour. The boy developed a severe dread of using the bathroom, wept frequently through the night, and displayed visible bruising across his face and arms.

According to the father, Navneet Choudhary, a medical examination revealed extensive swelling within both ear canals, leading the examining doctor to suspect the child had been subjected to physical blows.

"Suddenly on the 18th, my son returned home from school, and right after coming home, he started vomiting. As he began vomiting, he felt dizzy. We immediately took him to a paediatrician, who told us, 'His eyes are swelling up significantly; take him to an ENT specialist.' I took him to an ENT doctor right away. As soon as the doctor examined him, he got very upset with me, asking, 'What has happened to him? Both of his eardrums are severely swollen and on the verge of rupturing; his condition is extremely critical.' Holding the prescription paper, he told me straight away, 'I am prescribing medication for two days, get a CBC and a CT scan done, or get him admitted.' I asked, 'Sir, what is the issue? What happened to him?' He told me that he was beaten continuously and his ears were targeted," father Navneet Choudhary told ANI.

Following the medical assessment, Choudhary, who practises as a lawyer, requested access to the school's security camera footage. Staff initially cited technical glitches. However, the following day, school officials demanded 1,500 rupees before agreeing to show the recordings.

Upon paying the fee, the family viewed footage that allegedly showed the toddler having his ears yanked, being bound to a chair for hours, kicked, and repeatedly struck inside the facility.

"On the 18th, around 9:40 or 9:45, he was tied up from behind near the apron and continuously tortured. He was repeatedly beaten--sometimes kicked, sometimes grabbed and pulled viciously by his ears. Both of his ears were yanked severely, and he was beaten very brutally," recounted Choudhary.

Police have filed charges under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Juvenile Justice Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Further enquiries into the incident are currently ongoing.

ANI