The Delhi Police have arrested an auto driver for allegedly trying to sexually assault a nurse and robbing her in North Delhi’s Burari locality, Hindustan Times reported on Friday. The alleged incident took place on Tuesday night.

The 22-year-old woman reportedly boarded the auto from a hospital in central Delhi. She was driven around for almost 50 minutes on a 16-km stretch before the driver stopped the vehicle at an isolated spot next to the Sant Nirankari Samagam Ground near Burari. When the woman questioned the driver, identified as 45-year-old Bhanu Singh, he “approached the passengers’ seat and began molesting the woman”, said an unidentified police officer, adding that the police had not been able to ascertain if he intended to rape her.

“The woman fought back and was hit and injured by the driver,” said the police. “Later, she managed to push him away, jump out of the vehicle and run. The suspect, however, had robbed her mobile phone by then.” She sustained injuries while escaping.

The woman sought a passerby’s help to call the police control room, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Vijayanta Arya. “Also, a police picket was about 200 metres from that spot,” he added. “She met the policeman present at the picket and told them about the sexual assault.”

Arya said “crucial information” provided by the woman helped the police arrest Singh on Thursday morning. The police recovered her cellphone and confiscated the auto, reported The Times of India. The accused is a resident of Babarpur in the North Shahdara area, and has a wife and three children. He has no criminal record, the police said.