The Kharghar Police, who have slapped attempted murder charges on the owner of a creche and her employee for brutally assaulting a 10-year-old girl, are now investigating whether other infants were also assaulted in the day care centre in the past. They are taking statement of other parents whose toddlers were enrolled in the Purva Play School and Nursery.

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The Kharghar police had arrested owner Priyanka Nikam and her employee Afsana Shaikh of Purva Play school in Kharghar after it came to light that Shaikh had assaulted a 10-month-old girl. Shaikh’s actions were caught on a CCTV camera installed in the play school.

Dilip Kale, Senior Police Inspector, Kharghar, said the police was in touch with other parents to ascertain whether the play school employee had assaulted other toddlers in the past as well. 

The police have started recording statements of other parents. “So far, we have taken statements of four parents. However, none of them have said anything about such assaults on their kids,” said Kale.

The daycare centre has been locked ever since the police registered a case against the owner and the help. It had been running for around four years and toddlers who were mainly from sector 10 in Kharghar were under its care.

Meanwhile, the family of the infant who was assaulted met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday and requested him to fast-track the trial. According to sources, the government indicated it would develop a regulatory mechanism for all daycare centres and play schools operating in the state.

The victim’s family has also alleged that the police were not taking the case seriously at the initial stage and that they delayed in registering the case. Navi Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale has ordered an enquiry to find out if the allegations are true. He even appointed an inspector level officer to investigate the case further, which was earlier being handled by a sub-inspector.