A playschool attendant in northeast Delhi was arrested after allegedly abusing a 3-year-old boy. The incident came to light after the child’s parents noticed injuries and a change in the child's behaviour.
On August 18, the toddler returned home from school with bruises on his face and arms. According to the father, Navneeth Chaudhary, the boy immediately started vomiting and showed signs of dizziness.
The parents also noted that the child showed an unusual fear of using the bathroom and cried at night. Subsequently, he was taken to an ENT specialist. The doctor found that both his ear canals were severely inflamed and raised suspicion that the child may have been physically assaulted.
According to police officials, the examination conducted at GTB Hospital confirmed abrasions on his face and arms.
To understand what happened during school hours, the father approached the playschool and asked to see its CCTV recordings. The school staff initially cited technical problems with the system and did not provide the footage immediately.
However, the father returned to the school and inquired about the footage again. This time, the school allegedly asked him to pay ₹1,500 to get the recordings. After the payment, the family was allowed to view the footage.
The video footage, which was released to the public, shows the teacher tying the child to a chair. The child is left in a corner of the classroom, while other students continue their activities. The footage showed another staff member beating, kicking and violently pulling the toddler’s ears. The child even attempts to drag the chair while being tied.
The family approached the police on Friday, and an FIR was filed. The police team visited the playschool and now has the CCTV footage.
A case has been filed under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Juvenile Justice Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The school’s director, principal and teacher have been named as the accused in the case. Officials have also confirmed the arrest of the attendant.
A search is underway to find the second female teacher who fled the area. The victim’s family has demanded strict legal action against every school staff member involved in the incident.
