Stray dogs save mentally ill woman from sexual assault in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: A pack of stray dogs came to the aid of a mentally challenged woman when a heavily drunk teenager attempted to sexually assault her in Coimbatore.

The disturbing incident came to light when the Coimbatore rural police were scrutinising the CCTV footage in connection with another case related to unidentified persons setting fire to a petty shop at NGGO Colony near Thudiyalur.

The CCTV visuals recorded at night recently near the deserted Ashokapuram railway overbridge showed a mentally challenged woman, who was sitting by the roadside, being approached by the youth.

He asked whether the stray dogs barking at him belonged to her. He then picked up a stone and threw it in a bid to chase them away.

As he then attempted to sexually assault the woman, she raised an alarm. Soon, the dogs began to bark furiously and also bit him. Unable to face the fury of the dogs, the offender fled away from the spot.

Based on the CCTV footage, the police traced and nabbed the accused, who is a juvenile and lodged him in an Observation Home.