A college student who was strolling with her pet puppy was allegedly molested by a taxi driver in a Garfa neighbourhood on Friday, police said.

The accused first started cuddling the pet and then took it inside his house.

When the woman went to take her pet back, the accused allegedly pulled her inside a room, the police said.

The woman fled and alerted the local police station. The accused, Rabi Das, 48, has been arrested.

“The victim is a 19-year-old college student. She was walking with her pet puppy when the taxi driver picked it up and took it home. When the woman went to get her puppy back, the accused allegedly pulled her inside a room and molested her,” said an officer of Garfa police station. “The taxi driver has been arrested based on the woman’s complaint.”

The taxi driver has been booked under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code that deals with the offence of outraging the modesty of a woman.

The charge, if proved, could lead to a maximum punishment of five years of imprisonment.