The Coimbatore District (Rural) Police have arrested a library stock verification officer on charges of attempting to molest a woman librarian.
M. Sulthan Miya Maniyam (47), a resident of Vallal Nagar at Saramedu near Coimbatore, was arrested based on the complaint lodged by the woman librarian aged 43.
According to the police, the woman alleged that the officer attempted to molest her on two occasions.
The police said that the woman has been working in a library near Karamadai for more than 10 years. The accused used to visit the library and have allegedly attempted to misbehave with her.
The woman complained to the Karamadai police that the accused visited the library on November 24, 2021, and tried to molest her. She alleged that the accused visited her residence during the lunch break and tried to molest her. The accused threatened her of causing harm when she resisted the attempt and raised an alarm. Though the incident was reported to the higher authorities, they did not take action against the accused, she said.
The woman complained to the police that the accused visited her residence on Thursday and attempted to molest her. He escaped after the woman raised an alarm.
The woman lodged a complaint against the accused at the Karamadai police station on Friday and the officer was booked for offences under Sections 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 448 (punishment for house trespass), 506 (i) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 (penalty for harassment of women) of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act. He was arrested and remanded in judicial custody late on Friday.
