CHENNAI: A 20-year-old girl staying with her aunt and undergoing treatment for mental health was allegedly raped by a youth in the neighbourhood on Tuesday evening.
The girl's aunt preferred a complaint with the city police who registered a rape case against the youth, an employee at a small restaurant in New Washermanpet.
Police said Pradeep, the suspect, lured the girl to the terrace on Tuesday around 5 pm. He was caught in the act by the girl's aunt who came there around that time. Pradeep jumped out of the terrace and fled when the elderly woman raised an alarm. Neighbours tried to nab him, but failed.
Police said Pradeep was a known face in the neighbourhood, staying in a bachelor accommodation in a one-room residence.
The incident sparked a tension in the neighbourhood. Speaking to Express, a senior police official privy to the investigation said that the complainant herself will become a witness in this case. "We have located the youth, and are hoping to nab him in a day or two.
The girl has been sent to Government Stanley Hospital for medical examination," the official said.