A construction worker was on Wednesday arrested on charges of sexually exploiting a teenage girl in Coimbatore, promising to marry her, police said.

The 29-year-old Thanikodi, hailing from Kamudi in Ramanathapuram district, was working at Selvapuram and developed friendship with a 17-year-old girl, police said.

Promising to marry her, he allegedly sexually exploited her and left the city and fixed his marriage with another girl in his native place, a few months ago, police said.

The girl, who came to know about it, went to Kamudi and managed to prevent the marriage and lodged a complaint with the local police.

Since the place of occurrence was Coimbatore, the case was transferred to the city and the All Woman police station took up the case and after investigation, Thanikodi was arrested, they said.