Delhi: 3.5-year-old boy abused at playschool, eardrums swollen
What's the story
A three-and-a-half-year-old boy was allegedly abused at a private playschool in northeast Delhi's Maujpur. The child returned home on August 18 with swollen eyes and ears and started vomiting. His father said the doctor said both his eardrums were swollen and told the family the child had been beaten and his ears had been continuously pulled. He confronted the playschool staff about his son's condition and demanded access to CCTV footage.
Investigation begins
School authorities asked him to pay ₹1,500 for recordings
Initially, the school authorities asked him to pay ₹1,500 for the recordings and kept the school closed for several days.
Eventually, they provided access to footage from the classroom cameras. Upon reviewing it, the father alleged that his son was tied to a chair for hours and slapped by a teacher.
He claimed that in the CCTV footage, a teacher slapped his son and pulled his ears.
When confronted with this evidence, the staff claimed the child was hyperactive.
Abuse confirmed
Father's grievance
The father refuted this claim, saying they had been regularly updated about their son's well-being at school.
He said, "I want action taken against all of them because the management is entirely at fault here; they played a major role in this..."
The father added, "The caretaker involved has been arrested, but the other teachers are not available; they have fled or absconded. Regardless, I want action to be taken as soon as possible..."
Legal action
Maid detained, investigations underway
The family approached the police on August 28 after seeing the CCTV footage.
An FIR was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
A caretaker at the school has been detained in connection with the case, and investigations are underway into the roles of other staff members.