A 22-year-old man, who allegedly attacked a woman of the same age with a stone on her head besides strangling her along the Race Course Road in the city on Sunday evening after she expressed her inability to marry him has been arrested.

An attempt to murder case has been registered against the accused J. Viyakula Naveen, a native of Sivaganga district, by the K.K. Nagar police.  The woman identified as K. Amala Verginia, 22, a native of Ramanathapuram district, was admitted to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchi. She is pursuing a Masters degree in a government college here.

Police sources said Naveen, who was working in a real estate company at Tiruchi and the woman were in a relationship with for the past two years.  Naveen used to pester her to marry him. However, Ms. Amala reportedly told him that her parents did not approve of their affair, said the police.

A quarrel broke between them when they met on Race Course Road on Sunday evening. Sources said Naveen allegedly abused the woman and strangled her neck with a shawl. He picked up a stone and hit her in full public view and attempted to murder her.

Membrs of the public came to the rescue of the woman. A clip of the attack went viral on social media platform. The K.K. Nagar police arrested Naveen and booked a case against him under BNS sections 109 (attempt to murder) and 296 (b) (uttering obscene words in public place).