Bengaluru, July 3 (IANS) One of the five accused in the Bengaluru daycare abuse case has been arrested, and another detained by the HAL Police, while efforts are underway to trace the remaining absconding staff members, as Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday asserted that the government has “zero tolerance” for such incidents.

Police said the two accused persons have been taken into custody and are being questioned. Investigators are also interrogating them to ascertain the whereabouts of the remaining accused, who continue to evade arrest with their mobile phones switched off.

The arrested woman is identified as Vijayalakshmi. The formalities of the arrest of another detained accused will be completed soon, police said.

A special police team has been formed to track down the absconding accused who are seen in the shocking videos. Three other staff members have already been questioned and have been directed to appear before the police as part of the ongoing investigation.

Police have also recorded statements from the parents of three children who attended the daycare centre. In all, around eight to ten staff members have been questioned as investigators continue to collect evidence and verify the allegations.

Responding to the incident, Kharge said the government has adopted a “zero tolerance” approach towards crimes involving children and has sought a detailed report from the concerned department.

“We have zero tolerance regarding this incident. We have already sought information and clarification from the department. Reputed companies have guidelines and policies that are followed globally, not just in India. They must abide by them. Daycare centres and crèches will have to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs),” Kharge said.

He stressed that background verification of daycare staff should have been carried out before their appointment.

“They need to verify and conduct background checks on the staff. It appears that was not done. No matter which company it is, especially when it involves toddlers and children below five to ten years of age, much higher standards are expected from global companies,” he said.

The case came to light after disturbing videos allegedly showing toddlers being physically assaulted inside the Society General Baby Care Centre, operating on the premises of a private firm in Brookefield, surfaced on social media and were forwarded to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

The five accused have been identified as Manjula, Vijayalakshmi, Bhavani, Sindhu and Bindu.

Earlier, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh termed the incident “serious” and “heinous” after reviewing the videos.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising senior police officers, has been constituted to probe the case. Police have conducted a spot mahazar at the daycare centre, examined the premises and are scrutinising CCTV footage as part of the investigation.

The FIR, registered at HAL Police Station, invokes Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act based on a complaint lodged by Tilakesh Kumar, a resident of K.R. Puram.

According to the complaint, the accused allegedly subjected toddlers to physical and mental abuse, including beating them, locking them inside bathrooms, intimidating them, placing them inside a washing machine to frighten them, forcing them to sit on a western-style toilet, and inserting a water pipe into their mouths.

Police are continuing to verify the authenticity of the videos, record statements from parents and witnesses, and gather further evidence while efforts continue to apprehend the remaining accused.

–IANS

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