MADURAI: Tirunelveli city police on Thursday arrested a special sub-inspector of police on the alleged charges of sexually harassing a woman constable inside a police van while returning from security duty for the Chief Minister programme in Erode.

The police source said the accused policeman, Kumar (49), a native of Thalaiyuthu near Tirunelveli, served as a Special Sub-Inspector at the Melapalayam police station under the Tirunelveli city police.

On November 3, Kumar travelled with a team of male and female police personnel from Tirunelveli city to attend security duty at a welfare assistance distribution programme attended by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in the Perundurai Assembly constituency in Erode district.

After the event got over, the police team was returning to Tirunelveli in a police van at night. Kumar allegedly sexually harassed a woman constable who was seated in the front row.

Shocked by the incident, the woman constable lodged a complaint with Tirunelveli City Police Commissioner Deshmukh Shekhar Sanjay after reaching Tirunelveli. Following the commissioner's instructions, she subsequently lodged a formal complaint with the Palayamkottai All-Women Police Station.

Based on the complaint, the police registered a case against Kumar under five sections, including the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

The police source also claimed that Kumar had similarly harassed another woman constable a few months ago when he had gone for security duty during the Karthigai Deepam festival, but it was allegedly hushed up.