'CCTV prima facie shows teachers beat preschoolers in Mumbai'

MUMBAI: Calling the acts heinous and against society, in detailed orders rejecting the anticipatory bail pleas of two female teachers accused of cruelty and assaulting students inside a Kandivli playgroup, a sessions court said in CCTV footage of the institute, it is noticed that the children were brutally beaten by them.
"The evidence of CCTV footage at present prima face is sufficient to show the participation or involvement of the applicant in this crime," the court said in two separate orders.
The court also said the allegations made by the complainant, the father of a two-year-old boy enrolled in the playgroup, that the children suffered mental trauma due to the alleged acts of the accused are found trustworthy. "Thus, there is a prima facie material on record to draw an inference that due to very cruel behaviour of the applicant with the small children, those children are in depression and now they are not ready to go to school," the court said. While the pleas were rejected on Saturday, the detailed order copies were made available on Monday.
The court observed contents of the FIR indicated the accused have committed the alleged cruel act with kids aged about 2 to 4 years. "No leniency shown by the applicant accused while committing alleged brutal act with the small children," the court said. The father had lodged a police complaint against two teachers earlier this month. He was allowed to intervene and oppose the pleas filed by the teachers.
Referring to the photographs submitted by the father, the court said it is noticed very small kids were ill-treated.
The replies opposing the anticipatory bail pleas of the accused, submitted by the father's lawyer Mrunmayee Chowkidar along with advocates Prasad Gupte and Tanuja Patil, said 28 children took admission in the playschool. Kandivli police registered an FIR on April 2 under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
The father complained he noticed a change in his child's behaviour at home. His child had grown aggressive and would hit others around him. The father then inquired with parents of other students. A few other parents confirmed they too had noticed their children getting violent. The parents then approached the three joint owners of the playgroup. The CCTV footage of the premises from January I to March 27 was checked.