Autorickshaw driver arrested for sexually harassing woman passenger in Coimbatore

The Coimbatore City Police have arrested an autorickshaw driver on charges of sexually harassing a woman passenger. The woman suffered minor injuries after she jumped from the moving vehicle.

S. Mohammed Sadiq (43), a resident of Arul Nagar in Ukkadam, was arrested by the police based on a complaint lodged by a woman hailing from Erode district.

According to the police, the woman works in the city and lives in an apartment near Selvapuram. She travelled to Tiruppur on Sunday and returned to Coimbatore around 12.30 a.m. on Monday. She got down at Hope College and booked an autorickshaw using an app.

As per the complaint lodged by the woman, the accused picked her in his autorickshaw. As the vehicle was nearing Fun Mall, the driver tried to touch her, she alleged. She jumped out of the vehicle after the accused refused to stop the vehicle, the complaint said. 

After being alerted by the woman, her friends reached the spot and took her to a private hospital where first-aid was given to for injuries on head, hand and leg. She got admitted to another hospital later.

Sadiq was arrested for offences under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354 (A) (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 (penalty for harassment of women) of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act late on Monday.

Youth held for creating tension near Anamalai

The Anamalai police have arrested a 22-year-old man on charges of threatening people with a sword.

S. Dheenadayalan from Divansapudur here was arrested by a police team led by Sub-Inspector R. Gowtham on Monday based on a complaint lodged by a 33-year-old woman from the locality.

A driver by occupation, the accused had been disturbing women at public places, too, the police said. He was arrested for offences under Sections 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (2) (criminal intimidation - if threat be to cause death or grievous hurt, etc) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 (penalty for harassment of women) of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.