A caretaker has been arrested and an ayah taken in for questioning by police in connection with the alleged abuse of toddlers at a daycare centre on IT firm Capgemini’s campus in Brookfield, Bengaluru.

Caretaker Vijayalakshmi was produced before a jurisdictional court on Friday, which remanded her in 14 days’ judicial custody. A search is underway for the remaining four caretakers who are on the run. Manjula, the ayah, is being interrogated.

According to preliminary investigations, Vijayalakshmi had recruited the four other caretakers who did not have any basic training in childcare.

Videos of the alleged abuse that went viral showed caregivers threatening toddlers when they cried or caused disturbances. The women allegedly put children inside a front-loading washing machine, made them sit on commodes, sprayed water into their mouths using a toilet jet spray, locked them inside bathrooms, and threatened them into keeping quiet.

A police source told The Telegraph that a few parents had earlier complained to Capgemini authorities about the mistreatment, but they were not taken seriously. “The statements of staff members and parents were recorded on Friday. Also, CCTV footage and other evidence are being examined to determine individual responsibility,” a source said.

Shashidhar Sangashetty Kosambe, chairman of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, has urged chief minister D.K. Shivakumar to constitute a panel to monitor daycare centres in the state.