Toddler bitten 25 times by another child after being locked and left unsupervised at private daycare in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar News
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A 23-month-old child was allegedly bitten 25 times by another toddler inside a private daycare centre in Cidco, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, after a staff member locked three children in a room and left them unattended, triggering a criminal case against the institution’s management for negligence.The CCTV footage of the incident, which occurred on June 22, was later reviewed by investigators. It showed a two-and-a-half-year-old boy biting the child repeatedly, at 25 places, for nearly 15 minutes between 11am and 11.30am, while no staff member was present to intervene. The police said a helper at the centre had allegedly locked the children inside the room from outside, leaving them unsupervised. A young girl in the room was also reportedly assaulted during the period.Senior inspector Shivaji Taware, currently in-charge the MIDC Cidco police station, said an FIR has been registered against the principal, CEO, owner, regional manager, Maharashtra head and the helper of the centre. “The case has been registered under BNS sections 125(a), 125(b), 318(3) and 351(2) related to rash and negligent acts, cheating, criminal intimidation, along with section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act,” he said.The child’s father, a lawyer, alleged that the management attempted to cover up the incident. According to the complaint, the family was not informed for nearly two-and-a-half hours, and CCTV footage was shared only after allegedly being edited.The FIR further states that representatives of the institution tried to dissuade the family from approaching the police. They allegedly told them not to file a complaint and claimed that no action could be taken against them.The episode has raised serious concerns over safety practices at pre-schools and day-care centres, where rules mandate constant supervision, trained staff and child-safe infrastructure. Children are not to be left unattended under any circumstances.Primary education officer Jayshree Chavan confirmed that action was taken after inspection. “After receiving the complaint, an inspection was carried out. Following verification, an FIR was registered. It is a daycare centre, and safety precautions are mandatory for everyone concerned. Orders have been issued to shut down the day-care facility. The operators also failed to produce the required registration certificate,” she said.The police said the investigation is underway to determine the exact sequence of lapses and fix responsibility on the staff and management, as the case highlights glaring negligence in a facility meant to ensure the safety of young children.
