Child Abuse – Bengaluru Police Defend Arrest in Crèche Cruelty Case
Child Abuse – Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh has defended the arrest of a woman described as a whistleblower in the child cruelty case linked to a crèche at an IT company campus in east Bengaluru. Police said the woman was taken into custody after investigators found material indicating that she may have been involved in the alleged offences, despite bringing the matter to public attention.
Police cite delay and procedural concerns
Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Singh said the investigation was examining both the authenticity of the video evidence and the circumstances in which the complaint was filed. According to him, the footage and related information were recorded days before the complaint was formally submitted to authorities.
The commissioner said child protection cases require certain legal procedures to be followed, and investigators were looking into whether those requirements had been met. He added that the delay in reporting the matter was among the issues being examined as part of the inquiry.
Evidence being assessed by investigators
Singh said only two people had been arrested in the case so far, including the woman who had helped expose the alleged mistreatment. He maintained that police had sufficient grounds for her arrest and said the action was based on evidence gathered during the investigation.
He said investigators were verifying whether the incidents shown in the viral videos matched the allegations contained in the complaint submitted by the Child Protection Officer. The police are also examining the role of every person connected to the recordings and the reported incidents.
Claim of a staged incident under examination
The police commissioner further said preliminary evidence suggested that one of the alleged incidents may have been staged. He did not provide additional details, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Singh said the woman’s role in highlighting the issue did not prevent police from examining her possible involvement. He stated that investigators had found indications that she could be treated as an equal participant in the alleged offence, which led to her arrest.
Five crèche staff members arrested earlier
Earlier, police arrested five nannies employed at the crèche after videos allegedly showing children being mistreated surfaced online. The facility was located on the premises of an IT firm in east Bengaluru.
The arrested women have been identified as Manjula, Vijayalakshmi, Bhavani, Sindhu and Bindu. The HAL Police registered a case against them under provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and Section 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with criminal intimidation.
Videos allegedly show abuse of toddlers
Police said the videos appeared to show toddlers between two and three years old being subjected to disturbing treatment at the crèche. The allegations include placing children inside a washing machine, spraying water into their mouths with a toilet jet spray, and locking them inside toilets when they cried.
Investigators also said the children were allegedly made to sit on Western-style commodes and were threatened into remaining quiet. The claims are being examined as part of the police inquiry, and officials have not yet disclosed the full findings of the investigation.
Probe remains underway
Police have said the case is still under investigation and further action will depend on the evidence collected during the inquiry. Authorities are expected to continue questioning those linked to the crèche and reviewing the video material submitted in connection with the complaint.