Capgemini shuts down Bengaluru daycare following allegations of child abuse, 5 booked

Bengaluru: IT firm Capgemini has temporarily shuttered the daycare facility at its Brookefield campus in Bengaluru following reports of severe cruelty towards toddlers. The suspension follows the emergence of disturbing video footage purportedly showing caregivers mistreating children aged between two and three years.

According to an ANI report, the videos allegedly show the five accused nannies—identified as Manjula, Vijayalakshmi, Bhavani, Sindhu, and Bindu—placing toddlers inside a washing machine, spraying water into their mouths using a toilet jet spray, and locking them in toilets to force them into silence. Furthermore, the footage reportedly depicts the staff forcing children to sit on Western-style commodes and threatening them if they did not comply with their demands.

The matter came to light after a child helpline official received the recordings and alerted the authorities. Police sources cited by ANI indicate that the footage was captured by a staff member whose acquaintance had been dismissed from the facility last month.

The HAL Police have registered a case against the five individuals under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and Section 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal intimidation. A senior police officer noted that under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, proven cruelty by caregivers carries a penalty of three to ten years of imprisonment.

Capgemini has confirmed it is cooperating with the ongoing investigation. In a statement, the company emphasised that the safety and well-being of the children of its employees remain its primary focus, and the facility has been closed as a precautionary measure.

Police inspected the premises on Wednesday to secure CCTV footage for forensic analysis. Investigators are now in the process of contacting the parents of the affected children to determine if there were prior complaints or observable signs of mistreatment. While notices have been issued to the five accused requiring them to appear for interrogation, the investigation remains active and further details are currently awaited.