Community acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is an emerging pathogen. There is considerable concern that CA-MRSA may cause infections difficult to treat in the outpatient settings. The present study was undertaken to know the incidence of CA-MRSA and  its antibiotic sensitivity pattern. A total of 214 methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus were detected using oxacillin disk diffusion method. Clindamycin sensitivity was used as surrogate marker for screening CA-MRSA. Clindamycin sensitive MRSA with no obvious history of hospital acquired infection were analyzed further genotypically for molecular characterization. Clindamycin sensitive MRSA were 122(57%). Among these  109 isolates were presumed to be CA-MRSA. Of these 83(76.14%) were positive for mecA gene. Forty four (53%) revealed SCCmec type III, 34(40.96%) were SCCmec type III A and  4(4.81%) had SCCmec type IV cassettes. Nineteen  isolates showed pvl gene. Only 4(4.81%) of clindamycin sensitive MRSA were genotypically proved as CA-MRSA. CA-MRSA were susceptible to erythromycin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, co-trimoxazole, tetracycline and vancomycin. There is a need for judicious selection of antimicrobial agents and effective infection control programmes  to prevent the spread of community acquired infections.