CHENNAI: A 21-year-old was arrested for allegedly assaulting a college student with a two-wheeler key after she refused to continue speaking with him in Saidapet.

According to the police, the 19-year-old woman from Ramapuram, a student of a college in Saidapet, got acquainted with the accused, identified as Aarif alias Mukesh of Chetty Thottam in Saidapet, about two years ago. However, she had stopped communicating with him after becoming uncomfortable with his behaviour.

Despite this, Aarif allegedly continued to follow and harass the woman, repeatedly insisting that she speak to him.

On Wednesday afternoon, when the teenager came out of her college, Aarif confronted her demanding that she continue speaking with him. When she refused, he allegedly attacked her on the head with the key of his motorcycle, causing a bleeding injury.

The woman received treatment at a hospital and later lodged a complaint with the Saidapet police station.

Based on her complaint, the police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act. Following an investigation, Aarif was arrested on Thursday.

He was produced before a court the same day and remanded in judicial custody.