Jajpur: Dharmasala police on Wednesday arrested two youths for allegedly passing lewd comments at a woman and also molesting her on Santibazar-Kaima Road in Jajpur district.

The accused were identified as Shaik Banti, 24, of Brahmabarada and Udaya Kumar Rout, 28, of Mangarajpur village in the district.

The police said that the victim, a Plus Three college student of a nearby village, was returning home alone on her bi-cycle on Wednesday noon. Both Banti and Rout, who were travelling on a motorcycle, passed lewd remarks on her and also molested her.

"The accused touched me inappropriately and passed lewd comments at me," the woman alleged in her police complaint.

The victim narrated her ordeal to her family members, who then brought the matter to the notice of other villagers. Soon, the villagers were able to nab the culprits. "The accused duo was returning home on their bike while the victim identified them. Villagers caught hold of them, thrashed them and then handed them over to us," said inspector in charge of Dharmasala police station Umakanta Nayak.

The Dharmasala police reached the spot and took the accused duo to police custody. Based on the complaint, a case was registered against them under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Later in the day, the accused were forwarded to court and were remanded in judicial custody after their bail pleas were rejected.

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