VELLORE: The arrest of a 32-year-old man on charges of trespassing into an Adi Dravidar Welfare Girls hostel at Vaniyambadi created a flutter in the town on Wednesday.
The incident sparked tension as it comes close on the heels of the kidnap and rape of two minor girls from a home in Pollachi. It has also brought to light the lack of security in the hostel, which did not have a watchman and the warden, Tamilselvi (32), too was not present.
According to police, there were 10 girls at the hostel situated in Vaniyambadi new town. The girls, who were asleep, heard a noise caused by someone jumping over the compound wall late in the night. They switched on the lights and found a man on the premises. On hearing them shout, the man fled from the spot.
“The intruder scaled the compound wall and entered the hostel room where the girls were sleeping. He tried to wake up one of the girls. The girl woke up and raised an alarm on seeing the man. The incident occurred between 11.30 pm and 11.55 pm on Tuesday,” said a source.
Police said the hostel warden had gone home and the mother of one of the girls was present at the hostel.
They lodged a complaint with the town police. During their search, police found one Ashok, a resident of Kanavapudur near Vaniyambadi, hiding in a nearby ground.
On inquiry, he told police that he had consumed alcohol during a festival in his village.
He said he entered the hostel premises to attend nature’s call and did not have any other motive. Police arrested Ashok, who is a mason, on charges of trespassing.
Senior officials from the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department and Revenue Department conducted an investigation with the inmates of the hostel regarding the incident.