Navi Mumbai: A woman was detained for kicking her two-year-old daughter in the chest outside an anganwadi in Nandgaon village in Panvel allegedly after she refused to attend classes on Thursday. The child did not sustain any injury.A video, which triggered outrage online and prompted Panvel City police to initiate action, showed the toddler falling onto steps of the anganwadi and another woman rushing to her rescue. It was initially erroneously assumed that the attacker was an anganwadi worker.Police said during her questioning, the mother expressed remorse and claimed that she acted out in a fit of rage.Nitin Thakare, senior inspector, Panvel City police, said, “After recording the statement of the woman, a report was sent to the state child welfare committee (CWC) seeking directions on the appropriate legal action against her.”Madhu Shankar (44), a social activist advocating for child safety, complained by email to National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, National Human Rights Commission, chief minister’s office and the Navi Mumbai DCP (HQ), claiming that the act of a woman hitting the child is a clear violation of Section 75 of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which penalises cruelty to children. It also violates the child’s fundamental right to safety and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution, she said.Shankar added, “As an anganwadi is a govt-run centre under ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services), such behaviour by anyone, even parents coming to drop kids, is unacceptable and raises serious concerns about child safety protocols. The incident occurred in the presence of a woman worker at the anganwadi, who smiled and simply pushed the child’s mother and picked up the child fallen on the stairs.”Shankar questioned whether anganwadi workers are trained enough to call police or inform the CWC immediately during such an emergency.
