Early on June 30, in Vasai's Tungareshwar gully, a 35-year-old man, Sandeep Khot, allegedly attempted to assault a 32-year-old accountant. He approached her from behind, pushed her to the ground, covered her mouth, and threatened her with sexual assault. However, he fled the scene when a stray dog's barking startled him, according to police reports.
According to police reports, a stray dog nearby started barking at the assailant, causing him to lose his grip on the victim. Taking advantage of the moment, the woman pushed him away and fled towards the main road, avoiding further harm. However, the assailant managed to escape with her iPhone, Midday reported.
The woman stated that she had arrived at Vasai station from Mumbai on the last train that morning of the incident. According to a report of Midday, she said, “While I was walking through Tungareshwar lane and reached Zygote IVF Centre, a man between the ages of 25 to 30 began stalking me. All of a sudden, he appeared before me and said that he was going to rape me. He then tried to put his hand on my mouth to stop me from screaming and pinned me to the ground. He touched me inappropriately and put his hands in his trousers, making obscene gestures.”
According to the complainant, a stray dog suddenly appeared in the dark lane and started barking, causing the assailant to lose his grip momentarily. She took advantage of the situation by kicking the man, making him lose balance. However, he managed to snatch her iPhone before attempting to grab her again. She pushed him away and ran towards Gurudwara Road, evading further confrontation.
An officer from Manikpur police station mentioned, "Tungareshwar gully serves as a shortcut to the main road and was deserted due to the late hour. The incident occurred during the India-South Africa final."
“We have registered the case under Sections 392, 354, 354(D) and 506 of the Indian Penal Code [the case was registered before the BNS came into effect] and have begun the investigation,” said police inspector Raju Mane.