Police have arrested eight persons in connection with two separate incidents in which women pilgrims undertaking Girivalam around the Arunachaleswarar Temple were allegedly subjected to sexual harassment, robbed of jewellery and threatened with obscene videos.
According to police, a 23-year-old woman from Tiruvannamalai, employed at a private company in Chennai, had come to the temple town for the Pournami Girivalam on the night of May 31.
While she was proceeding along the Tirukkovilur bypass road, unidentified men on a two-wheeler allegedly intercepted her, threatened her and snatched her gold ear ornaments.
The accused then allegedly took her to a secluded location and subjected her to sexual harassment.
Police said more youths were later called to the spot, and a group of eight allegedly harassed her further before recording obscene videos and fleeing. In another incident on May 30, a married woman from Dharmapuri district was returning home with a relative on a two-wheeler after completing Girivalam.
Near Periyakolappadi on the Chengam Road, the gang allegedly intercepted them, sexually harassed the woman, snatched a two-sovereign gold chain from her neck and recorded obscene videos to threaten her. Following complaints from both women at the Tiruvannamalai Town Police Station, District Superintendent of Police Sudhakar ordered an intensive investigation.
Special teams led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajan conducted inquiries and traced the suspects.
Police arrested Vasudevan of Adaiyur village, Akash of Periya Paliyapattu village, a 16-year-old juvenile, Appu, Harikaran and Sharma of Aswanathasuran village, Arunkumar of Senthamangalam village and Surya of Balaji Nagar in Tiruvannamalai.
Police said efforts are under way to trace three more persons allegedly connected to the case.
