Youth held for molesting 5 foreign research students

Thiruvananthapuram: Five foreign women research students were allegedly molested by a MBA graduate in their room at a private lodging in the campus of IT hub Technopark here, police said Tuesday.

24-year old Rahul has been arrested on a complaint from the students -- four from the U.S. and one from Nigeria -- that he trespassed into their room molested them in the wee hours of yesterday, they said.

Rahul is an MBA graduate and employee of the 'Club House', a private accommodation facility. The students are in the city as part of a three month-long exchange programme in the Kerala University campus near here.

According to police, Rahul, allegedly in an inebriated condition, trespassed into the room of the foreigners, all aged below 30 years, and threatened and molested them.

Though he fled after the women sought police help, the accused was taken into custody within a few hours, police said.

A case has been registered under IPC sections including 448 (trespass), 354 (A) (physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures), 506 (1) (criminal intimidation), police added.