London: A Malayali student pursuing a course in the United Kingdom (UK) was arrested in connection with a child molestation case on Saturday.

The 24-year-old hailing from Ramapuram in Kerala's Kottayam district was caught in a sting operation carried out by the police and the child protection team.

According to reports, the man approached a 14-year-old minor girl he met on social media for sex.

Little did he know that the profile was in fact one created by the child protection team to nab those prying on young girls on social media.

The man, after seducing her, sought to take her to a hotel in London. He travelled for nearly an hour from his home in Luton to arrive at Hemel Hempstead where the girl was supposedly lodged.

However, what waited for him here was a team from the child protection team and the police.

The young man, who worked as a caretaker along with his studies, has pleaded guilty to the crime. He even attempted to escape but was caught.

The man pleaded that he had come to study in the UK at the cost of Rs 15 lakh and that it was an accidental mistake born out of ignorance, but the arrest could not be avoided.

He will be deported home after facing legal action.

The team also reported that he was chatting up with two more profiles that they had created - all 14-year-old girls.

The incident has defamed the entire Malayali community in the UK.