COIMBATORE: A middle-aged man was arrested in Mettupalayam on Saturday on the charges of sexually assaulting a two-and-a-half year old girl near Coonoor.

According to police, Gopalakrishnan (40), a carpenter by profession, used to frequent the girl’s house and take her to his house in Ethumakandi village.

A few days ago, her parents were shocked to notice the child continuously crying and on checking found a injury marks on her vital parts. Gopalakrishnan went missing.

Since police delayed in registering a complaint, relatives and people in the neighbourhood ransacked the house of Gopalakrishnan and damaged his vehicles, prompting police to take register a case.

Police nabbed Gopalakrishnan from Mettupalayam, some 40 km from here. Further investigations are on, they said.