The Vyyalikaval police have arrested a 22-year-old construction labourer on charges of misbehaving with a schoolgirl within Vyyalikaval police station limits on Tuesday.
The accused, Manikantha, a resident of Muneshwara block was a PU drop out and was addicted to drugs, according to the police. He would stalk girls and women and harass them frequently, an official said.
On Tuesday, he confronted a schoolgirl who was returning from school and misbehaved with her. The victim raised an alarm following which passers-by chased and caught him. He was thrashed by the public but managed to escape.
The victim later filed a complaint with the police who had already received a similar complaint from another woman earlier in the day.
A team of police swung into action and arrested the accused based on CCTV footage. “We managed to get the registration number of the motorycle the accused was using, based on which he was caught,” a senior police officer said.
The accused has been booked under various section of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and also under section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and remanded in judicial custody.
