A 21-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly sexually harassed and her mother was attacked by a youth for opposing him at Bhokaheri village in the district, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Tuesday when both the women had gone to collect water from a hand-pump in the village under Bhopa police station, Circle Officer Rajive Kumar Gotam said.

According to a complaint lodged by the victim's mother, the accused Anuj Kumar sexually harassed her daughter and when they opposed him, he attacked both of them.

The accused and his father Sharda Das were absconding and the search was on to nab them, police added.