Youth held for ‘hugging’ college girl

CHENNAI: A youth who “hugged and kissed” the college student who gave him a ride in her car at Adyar on Sunday evening was thrashed by passersby and handed over to police. Police said Priya (22) (name changed) of New Washermenpet was going in her newly-purchased car when it ran out of petrol near Third Cross Street in Kasthuribai Nagar. After vainly trying to start the car, she got out and was standing there when Raj Mohan (24), a private cab driver, approached her and offered to help. Believing that he genuinely wanted to help, Priya told him her car ran out of petrol and that there was no petrol station nearby. Mohan then went to a nearby outlet and got some petrol in a bottle. After filling up the tank, he claimed he had parked his vehicle some distance away and asked her to drop him there. As the car moved, Mohan who was seated in the back hugged the woman and started kissing her, Priya said in her complaint. Hearing her cries, a few passersby came there. They beat up Mohan, a native of Tiruvarur, and handed him over to the Adyar police. Based on a complaint from the woman, police arrested the youth who was later remanded in judicial custody at Puzhal prison.