Kochi: The Ernakulam North Police arrested two youths accused of roaming around in the city on a motorbike and sexually harassing women in isolated areas of public roads. The arrests follow a specific incident on Thursday evening where the duo allegedly assaulted students near a ladies' hostel at Kaloor, bringing their streak of harassment to an end.

The accused are Mohammed Anshad MS (19) of Manappattiparambu, Kaloor, and Mohammed Raziq (18) of Karithalapparambu, near VTC Ernakulam College. Police sources describe the pair as habitual offenders who have previously evaded capture due to the victims' reluctance to file complaints.

The arrest was triggered by an attack on Thursday evening at Shenoy Cross Road in Kaloor. According to the police, the accused, who have no known employment, were loitering in the area on a motorbike. Their modus operandi involved circling the neighborhood to identify potential targets, primarily students or young women residing in local ladies' hostels, and waiting for them to reach deserted stretches of the road.

On Thursday, they allegedly approached a group of young women, groped them, and immediately sped away. Shaken by the assault, the students alerted their hostel warden, who promptly contacted the police.

Acting on the complaint, the Ernakulam North Police launched an investigation centred on CCTV footage from the area. Officers successfully traced the registration number of the motorbike used in the crime, leading directly to the accused on Saturday.

“They are habitual offenders who specifically look for isolated spots to attack women. In the past, they managed to escape simply because the victims did not come forward to press charges,” a police officer said.

Both Anshad and Raziq were produced before the court and have been remanded to judicial custody.