Police in Bengaluru have arrested a daycare worker after videos allegedly showed toddlers being abused inside a crèche at a Capgemini campus, sparking outrage and raising fresh concerns about child safety at workplace daycare centres.
The woman, identified by police as Vijayalakshmi, was arrested days after videos surfaced online showing female caregivers allegedly assaulting frightened children. The footage appears to show toddlers being locked inside toilets and washing machines, while some were reportedly sprayed with water from a bidet to stop them from crying.
Police have registered a case against five employees of the daycare facility, saying more arrests could follow as investigations continue.
The daycare centre, located inside Capgemini’s Brookfield campus in Bengaluru, has now been temporarily shut down.
“Capgemini’s foremost priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of its employees and their families,” the company said in a statement.
“We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities and assisting them in their efforts to establish the facts.”
The company added that it had decided to temporarily close the on-campus daycare facility as a precaution.
The alleged abuse came to light after an anonymous caller contacted Bengaluru’s child protection unit and shared videos with officials.
Thilakesh Kumar, a child protection official, said he followed up on the complaint and discovered that the alleged abuse happened inside a toilet where there were no CCTV cameras.
Based on his complaint, police opened a case against five daycare employees under provisions of India’s criminal law and the Juvenile Justice Act.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh confirmed that Vijayalakshmi had been arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
Another police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said two other caregivers were questioned on Thursday as part of the investigation.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge said the state government was examining the case and promised action against anyone found to have broken the rules.
Meanwhile, India’s National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has launched its own investigation and is expected to inspect the daycare centre.
The incident has renewed concerns about how daycare centres are regulated in India.
Many companies have opened workplace crèches in recent years to help employees balance work and family life. However, unlike schools, daycare centres operate under different state and local regulations, with safety standards varying across the country and enforcement often remaining weak.
