A three-and-a-half-year-old boy was allegedly physically and sexually assaulted at a private playschool in Maujpur, north-east Delhi, according to a complaint filed by his family. The child reportedly fell seriously ill after returning home from school on 18 August, prompting his parents to seek medical attention and, later, to approach the police.Read more - How Nepal school principal saved 1,600+ children minutes before flood swallowed entire school in mud, ice & waterFather says child was distressed for days before collapseSpeaking to the news agency ANI, the boy's father, Navneet Chaudhary, said his son had appeared troubled for several days before his condition took a sharp turn for the worse on 18 August. On returning home from school that day, the child reportedly began vomiting and complained of feeling dizzy.— ANI (@ANI) He was rushed to a paediatrician, who noted swelling around his eyes and referred the family to an ENT specialist. The specialist is said to have found that the eardrums in both of the boy's ears were swollen and close to rupturing, describing his condition as critical.Family says CCTV footage shows hours of abuseAlarmed by their son's condition, the family approached the school to ask whether he had been assaulted, and later obtained CCTV footage from the day in question. According to the father, the footage purportedly showed the child tied to a chair for hours and subjected to repeated abuse, including being beaten, kicked and having his ears pulled.Chaudhary said he held the school's management, owners and principal responsible alongside those directly involved, and questioned whether the authorities had a duty to monitor CCTV recordings to ensure children's safety. He has demanded action against everyone he believes played a role in the incident, alleging that the management bore significant responsibility.FIR details changes in the child's behaviourPer the First Information Report (FIR), the father approached police after noticing a marked change in his son's behaviour. The complaint states the boy had been unable to sleep properly for several days, was frightened of using the toilet, and would cry inconsolably at the prospect of going to school.Caretaker arrested, inquiries launchedPolice have arrested the school caretaker named in the case. The father alleged that some other staff members were no longer reachable and were believed to have absconded.A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the POCSO Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the school director, principal, a teacher and the caretaker. Police are continuing to examine the CCTV footage and other evidence as their investigation proceeds.The Directorate of Education (DoE) has separately ordered an inquiry into the allegations and into the conduct of the school's management.(With inputs from ANI)