An Ella hotel owner was arrested on charges of having groped a 39-year-old French woman. She had come to Sri Lanka last week with a friend and had visited the well-known waterfall at Ella.

The French woman who was staying at the hotel owned by the suspect had told him she was keen on getting a body massage.

The 47-year-old hotel owner had said he would take her to a massage clinic in his trishaw and while on the way had stopped the vehicle on a lonely spot and had allegedly groped her.

However she had managed to get away and reported the matter to the police.

The man was produced before the Bandarawela Magistrate and released on bail. (Supun Dias and Prasad Rukmal)