A 15-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a hotel owner following which he was arrested on Wednesday here, police said.

The girl, a student of Class 10, contacted Childline, an NGO, on Monday and complained that she was being sexually assaulted by G Thamaraiselvan (37), who runs a hotel at Orathanadu in the district, they said.

The victim had been left under his care by her widowed mother who had worked in his hotel and then went elsewhere to earn a living, police said.

Based on the complaint, a team of Childline and police officials conducted an inquiry and the accused was later arrested, they said.

The girl has been admitted to a children's home in Pattukottai.

A case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO)Act against Thamaraiselvan, they said.