Nearly a week after the sexual abuse of a three-and-a-half-year-old child was reported, the playschool chain is considering terminating their franchise in Bellandur. The first FIR was followed by seven more.
The chain, which has 1,650 franchises in 600 cities in India and Nepal, has asked the company that runs the Bellandur branch to stop new admissions.
“We are contemplating further action against the franchisee, which may include initiation of termination of the franchisee given the serious allegations against them,” said the chain in a press release on Friday.
The company has offered counselling for the parents and the children, which would ‘help decrease their trauma and bring to fore any other hidden incidents, if the authorities permit us to conduct the same’, the release said.
It pointed out that the chain runs seminars in all its franchisees that cover prevention of physical, emotional and sexual abuse of children. “We will increase the frequency of such programs in Bengaluru to further sensitise everyone on the above aspects,” the release said.
Some of the parents of children enrolled in the playschool met Member of Parliament Rajeev Chandrasekhar. “Though the school management may be politically connected, that cannot come in the way of justice for the families. The issue is about children and to ensure that schools remain safe havens for children. Therefore, all school managements must be held accountable,” Mr. Chandrasekhar said in a press release. He reportedly told parents that he would speak to the police and the home minister to ensure that appropriate charges are filed against the school management.
Employee pleads innocence
Meanwhile, the employee who was arrested and later released on bail claimed that she was framed in the case and had no role in management of the playschool. “ I am a front office coordinator, not an academician or daycare coordinator, hence have no role in supervision of children. After the incident was reported, one of the parents shouted, verbally abused me and surprisingly put a police complaint against me and dragged me into the case,” Prita Dutta said in a release.
