Chennai: A Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader was arrested on Thursday for allegedly sexually harassing a college student after offering her a lift home in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari district, police said.
The second-year postgraduate student had filed a complaint against Christopher, a member of TVK’s central district executive committee, earlier this month.
She claimed that when she and her friend were waiting for a bus after college hours, Christopher stopped his car and offered to drop them home, saying he was travelling in the same direction.
It was raining at that time, and the two women accepted the offer and got into the car, the complainant said.
Christopher, who knew the other student, stopped his car and offered to drop them home, saying he was travelling in the same direction.
After dropping the other student at Moolachal, Christopher continued towards Kulasekaram with the complainant, assuring her that would drop her near her home, police said.
On the way, the TVK leader allegedly stopped the car and sexually harassed the student.
She confronted him and tried to get out of the car. Christopher eventually dropped her near her residence and fled.
The student told her friend about the incident and later informed her parents, following which a complaint was lodged. Police registered a case in connection with the alleged sexual harassment and initiated action against the accused.
The DMK and AIADMK attacked Chief Minister Joseph Vijay over the incident and called for swift action.
CT Nirmal Kumar, a minister in Vijay’s cabinet, said “a lot of people” had joined the party and that appropriate action would be taken.
“Many people have joined the party and are projecting themselves as TVK members. If anyone commits a mistake, the prescribed procedures will be followed, unlike under the DMK government,” Kumar said.
