Govt seals Maujpur playschool where 3-yr-old was tied, beaten

The Delhi government on Monday directed officials to seal a private daycare and playschool in northeast Delhi’s Maujpur, under the jurisdiction of Jafrabad police station, where a three-year-old boy was allegedly tied to a chair for hours and physically assaulted over several days

The Delhi government on Monday directed officials to seal a private daycare and playschool in northeast Delhi’s Maujpur, under the jurisdiction of Jafrabad police station, where a three-year-old boy was allegedly tied to a chair for hours and physically assaulted over several days. An inspection of the centre also found multiple regulatory and fire-safety violations, senior officials said.

Gupta expressed displeasure over the alleged physical and sexual abuse of the child and said the government would not remain a “mute spectator” in such cases.

Chief minister Rekha Gupta ordered strict action against those responsible and said accountability would not be limited to those directly involved in incidents of child abuse, with school managements and other responsible persons also facing action if negligence was established.

Gupta expressed displeasure over the alleged physical and sexual abuse of the child and said the government would not remain a “mute spectator” in such cases. She also assured the family of legal assistance, if required.

She said inhumane treatment of children would not be tolerated and that school managements would be held accountable wherever negligence was established.

The incident came to light earlier this month after the boy’s parents noticed changes in his behaviour and bruises on his body. A medical examination subsequently indicated injuries, including swelling in both ear canals, police said. The parents then sought CCTV footage from the school, which allegedly showed the child being assaulted.

He said the child had become scared of visiting the washroom, remained agitated and cried uncontrollably at night in the days before the alleged abuse was discovered. He also had bruises on his face and arms.

The father approached the school administration for CCTV footage on August 25. The staff initially cited technical issues, he alleged. The following day, the family was allegedly asked to pay ₹1,500 to view the footage. The recordings from August 16, 17 and 18 allegedly showed a teacher and attendant pulling the child by his ears, slapping and kicking him, and tying him to a chair using an apron.

A senior police officer said an attendant, 35, has been arrested, while a 30-year-old teacher has been asked to join the investigation. “She is absconding and teams are looking for her,” the officer said on Monday.

The school principal and director have also been named in the case and their roles are being investigated.

“Police have invoked sections pertaining to sexual harassment based on the complaint and are investigating the case,” the officer said. The FIR registered at Jafrabad police station includes sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 126(2) (wrongful restraint) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, besides Section 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Sections 75/82 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Police said the POCSO provisions were invoked following the family’s allegations that the child may have been subjected to inappropriate touching. The child was taken to GTB Hospital for a medical examination.

The sealing followed an inspection by the office of the sub-divisional magistrate (Yamuna Vihar), which found that the centre did not have a fire safety certificate, sanctioned building plan or completion/occupancy certificate. The emergency exit and staircases were blocked, while the only fire extinguisher at the premises was found to be non-functional, according to the SDM’s inspection report dated August 31.

The inspection further found that a borewell had been installed without permission, rooms had inadequate ventilation and the basement contained rooms being used for classes, in violation of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957.

The report also stated that the centre was operating from a residential property for commercial activity and had a kitchen on the first floor where domestic LPG cylinders were being used. The premises were sealed in view of the violations and the absence of satisfactory replies or permissions from the centre’s director, the report said.