A 22-year-old man from Kallakurichi district was arrested on charges of stalking and harassing a young woman in T. Nagar after repeatedly pressuring her to reciprocate his romantic advances.

According to the police, the 20-year-old woman, a native of Kallakurichi, works and resides in the city. She had reportedly been in a relationship with the accused, Vinoth Kumar, a few years ago but broke up with him and ended all contact due to his behaviour.

Despite her decision to sever ties, Vinoth Kumar allegedly continued to contact her and repeatedly asked her to resume the relationship. The police said the harassment became so persistent that the woman changed her mobile phone number several times in an attempt to avoid him.

On June 18, Vinoth Kumar allegedly visited the shop where the woman worked and told the manager that he loved her and had come to take her with him. Later that day, while the woman was returning to her hostel after work, he allegedly intercepted her on Usman Road in T. Nagar and again pressured her to accept his proposal.

Acting on information about the incident, members of the Singappen Special Response Team attached to the T. Nagar police district rushed to the spot, detained Vinoth Kumar, and handed him over to the Mambalam police station.

Based on the woman’s complaint, the police registered a case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act. Following an investigation, Vinoth Kumar, of Tirukoilur in Kallakurichi district, was formally arrested and remanded to judicial custody.