The police said the accused confessed to harassing the woman.

A 27-year-old US national, living in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, was allegedly sexually harassed by a bike taxi driver in Hazratganj area, the police said today.

The woman, who is on a one-year visa, had booked a bike taxi to reach her workplace from Sikandar Bagh to New Hyderabad in Lucknow.

As she was on her way, the taxi driver, identified as 28-year-old Vijay Kumar, sexually harassed her, said Hazratganj Circle Officer Abhay Kumar Mishra.

The woman later told her colleagues about the incident and the police were informed, Mr Mishra said, adding that she had been living in Lucknow for the past few months and usually booked a bike taxi to reach her place of work.

Based on the woman's complaint, the accused was booked under IPC sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (criminal assault with intent to outrage modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault to woman with an intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (act intended to insult modesty of woman), the circle officer said.

The police tracked the accused and arrested him, Mr Mishra said, adding that he confessed to harassing the woman.