‘Beaten, eyes swollen, vomiting, dizzy’: Father on 3-year-old’s ordeal in school

The ENT doctor allegedly found that the boy’s eardrums in both ears were swollen and appeared to be close to rupturing.NEW DELHI: A three-and-a-half-year-old boy was allegedly physically and sexually assaulted at a private playschool in northeast Delhi’s Maujpur. His father said the child had been troubled for several days before falling seriously ill after returning from school on August 18.CCTV footage purportedly shows the boy being tied to a chair, kicked and pulled by his ears.'Swollen eardrums raise alarm'According to the child’s father, Navneet Chaudhary, his son had been troubled for several days before his condition suddenly worsened on August 18.The father told news agency ANI that the child returned home from school that day, began vomiting and complained of dizziness.He was immediately taken to a paediatrician, who noticed that his eyes were swollen and advised the family to consult an ENT specialist.The ENT doctor allegedly found that the boy’s eardrums in both ears were swollen and appeared to be close to rupturing. The doctor described his condition as critical, the father said.The family subsequently approached the school and asked the management whether the child had been assaulted.CCTV shows boy being tied to chair for hoursThe father said the family later accessed CCTV footage from the day the child had fallen ill.According to him, the footage showed the boy being tied to a chair for hours and allegedly subjected to repeated physical abuse, including being beaten, kicked and having his ears pulled.“I hold the management, owners and principal responsible as well,” the father said, questioning whether school authorities had a duty to monitor CCTV footage and ensure the safety of children.He demanded action against everyone responsible, alleging that the school management had played a major role in the incident.Caretaker arrested, DoE orders probe into playschoolPolice have arrested the caretaker named in the case. The child's father claimed that some of the other teachers were no longer available and had allegedly fled or gone absconding.The police investigation is underway, while the DoE has ordered a separate inquiry into the allegations and the role of the school management.According to the FIR, the boy’s father approached police after noticing a change in his son’s behaviour.The complaint states that the child had been unable to sleep properly for several days, was scared of going to the toilet and would “cry inconsolably” at the prospect of going to school.Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the POCSO Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the school director, principal, a teacher and a caretaker. The caretaker has been arrested.The Directorate of Education (DoE) has also ordered an inquiry into the incident. Police are examining the CCTV footage and other evidence as part of the investigation.