Bengaluru police have made their first arrest in connection with the abuse of toddlers at a daycare facility operating inside Capgemini's corporate campus in the city.
The woman taken into custody, identified as Vijayalaxmi, worked at the daycare and has been identified as the person seen in visuals that sparked widespread public anger, India Today reported, citing officials.
She has been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Juvenile Justice Act.
Three other individuals linked to the facility were issued notices to appear before investigators but failed to turn up for questioning earlier, the report added.
The footage that triggered the outrage showed children being forced into the drum of a front-loading washing machine, sprayed with water in the mouth using a jet spray, and locked inside bathrooms as punishment for crying.
Police have registered a case against five women connected to the centre and are examining whether the conduct amounted to isolated incidents or a recurring pattern of mistreatment.
Capgemini has since shut the on-campus daycare facility as a precautionary step while the case is investigated.
In a statement, the company said its "foremost priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of its employees and their families," adding that it was extending full cooperation to authorities working to establish the facts.
The matter has also been taken up by the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights after a petition sought its intervention, according to the report. The commission is expected to call for a detailed report from investigating authorities and conduct its own independent review of the allegations.
The case has drawn significant attention given the facility's location within a major corporate campus, with parents reportedly having enrolled their children at the centre while at work.
Investigations by both police and child welfare authorities remain ongoing.
ALSO READ: 'Absolute Shame': Capgemini Faces Massive Backlash As Toddler Abuse Video At Daycare Goes Viral
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