Police begin safety audit of crèches

May 25, 2017 01:16 am | Updated 01:16 am IST

Kochi: Close on the heels of the arrest of the owner of a playschool in the city on charges of allegedly torturing a one-and-half-year-old boy, the police have launched a safety audit of crèches functioning in the central Kerala region.

P. Vijayan, Inspector General of Police, Ernakulam Range, has directed the police units in Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Idukki, and Kottayam to prepare a list of day-care centres and playschools functioning in areas under their jurisdiction and conduct inspections subsequently. “The survey is being initiated in view of reports of violation of child rights as well as the unhygienic conditions prevailing in some of these facilities,” the IG said.

Once the list is ready, the police will conduct inspections at playschools and day-care centres to ascertain safety aspects, besides hygiene and treatment of children. “Stern action will be initiated against those found violating norms,” he added. The officer also stressed the need for parents to ensure the safety of their wards.

“There have been instances of parents showing criminal negligence towards their children by admitting them to sub-standard facilities,” Mr. Vijayan said.

As part of the drive, the city police have begun verification of documents with playschools. Besides, they are conducting background checks of the institutions as well as those who run them.

A preliminary investigation by the police revealed that neither the civic body nor the Social Justice Department had a list of schools that admitted children below five years of age. “The present situation is such that anybody can open a playschool anywhere in the city and charge any amount of fee,” sources said.

Meanwhile, the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court at Kakkanad posted hearing on a bail plea by Mini Mathew who has been in police custody for allegedly torturing a toddler the other day. The Palarivattom police have booked her under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act and IPC 323 for voluntarily causing hurt.

The incident came to light after video footage of the accused torturing the kid, shot using a mobile camera by a woman employee at the day care centre, leaked out and was aired by television news channels.

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