The incident happened when one of the women of the group had nodded off in the grove after a long walk on Sunday. (Photo: Representational Image)

Chennai: A 24-year-old German tourist who was sleeping in a grove of casuarinas on the seashore off the East Coast Road in Telugar Thottam in Pattikulam near Mahabalipuram was allegedly raped on Sunday morning.

The woman was part of a group of three families currently touring India. The group of five had reached Chennai a couple of days back and went to Mahabalipuram on Saturday.

The incident happened when one of the women of the group had nodded off in the grove after a long walk on Sunday.

Initial reports suggest that the suspect spotted the German tourist who was sleeping alone in the grove and raped her. A senior police officer said that though there was more than one man on the scene, only one had sexually assaulted her. Of the three men, one was wearing shorts and T-shirt while the other two only shorts.

The woman managed to escape from the clutches of the men and went back to her group and they contacted the German Embassy in Delhi. The German mission briefed the TN police about the incident after which the Kancheepuram police swung into action.

The rape victim was later taken to an all woman police station and gave her statement to senior police officials on the incident and details of her tormentors.

A police team also visited the scene of crime to collect evidence and she was sent to a government hospital for a medical test, police disclosed.

Police are not sure if some guests staying in a beach house or fishermen committed the crime. “We have collected some details and zeroed in on a man who was part of group that committed the crime. We will secure him by tonight,” a senior police officer said on Sunday night.