Stray dogs scare off teen accused of molesting woman in Coimbatore

Two dogs came to the rescue of a woman when a teenage boy allegedly molested her on a service road in Coimbatore in the early hours of Thursday. The incident, captured on a surveillance camera, shows the canines barking at and chasing the 16-year-old after the woman began screaming.

The police said the woman, aged about 30 and living with a mild developmental disorder, was sitting by the roadside near N.G.G.O. Colony in Thudiyalur around 2 a.m. The two dogs, which reportedly belong to her family, were also present on the street.

Video footage shows the boy first conversing with the woman and then chasing one of the dogs. He returned and allegedly molested her. When she screamed, the dogs began barking and gave chase, forcing the boy to flee.

The woman later narrated the ordeal to her uncle, with whom she resides. He lodged a complaint with the Thudiyalur police, who verified the incident using the CCTV footage.

A case was registered against the boy under sections 74, 75, and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deal with assault with intent to outrage a woman's modesty, sexual harassment, and acts intended to insult a woman's modesty.

Inspector of Police R. Vivekanandhan said the boy was detained on Thursday and lodged at the observation home for juveniles in Papanaickenpalayam.