Capgemini Daycare Abuse Case: Bengaluru Police Arrest Caregiver Vijayalakshmi, Named Accused No. 2

Bengluru Police on Thursday have arrested a woman identified as Vijayalakshmi in connection with the alleged torture of an infant at a day care centre operating inside Capgemini's HAL campus in Bengaluru.

Police informed that Vijayalakshmi who was employed as a nanny and caretaker has been named Accused No. 2 in the FIR registered in the case. The investigating officer said Vijayalakshmi was identified during video verification, following which she was taken into custody. ''She will be produced before the court soon, and police will seek her custody for further interrogation'', said Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh.

Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge said,"Such an incident is absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The authorities have already sought a report on the matter. There is a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that clearly outlines how daycare centres should be run. Let the management submit a written explanation. Parents entrust daycare centres with the care of their young children. These centres must be operated with utmost care and in accordance with the prescribed guidelines. That was clearly not the case here. This is not just about the company's (the IT company on whose campus the daycare operated) reputation-it also tarnishes brand Bengaluru. Let the report come in, and appropriate action will be taken."

The alleged abuse at the daycare centre came to light after a series of shocking videos surfaced online, showing toddlers being subjected to what authorities described as physical and mental cruelty. Acting on the footage, HAL Police registered an FIR against five caregivers under the Juvenile Justice Act.

The videos allegedly depict children being locked inside bathrooms, sprayed with water using toilet jet sprays, and, in one particularly disturbing incident, placed inside the drum of a front-loading washing machine to stop them from crying. The footage triggered widespread outrage and prompted immediate intervention by child welfare authorities.

Reports have also revealed that the first employee to flag the alleged abuse at Little Buds Day Care, located inside Capgemini's Brookfield campus, was allegedly terminated after raising concerns about the treatment of the children.

District child protection officials said they had previously received inputs suggesting irregularities at the facility but lacked sufficient evidence to initiate action. That changed when the videos were shared with the Child Helpline, giving investigators visual proof of the alleged abuse.

According to reports, another staff member later recorded the incidents discreetly, helping substantiate the whistleblower's allegations and paving the way for the police investigation.