A man, reportedly mentally unstable, who forced himself into a house at Ayyappankavu, allegedly attacked a woman and tried to drown her seven-year-old daughter by putting her head in a bucket of water on Saturday around 6 p.m.
The mother managed to free herself from the grip of the assaulter by biting his hand and then raised an alarm, bringing people in the neighbourhood who made a crucial intervention, saving the girl’s life.
The man, identified as Abubacker Siddique, 27, of Tamil Nadu, was restrained by the people and handed over to the North police who rushed to the scene. Later, his arrest was recorded. The police said he was mentally unstable.
A former inmate of an orphanage in Thrissur, the accused had lived around Angamaly for long and moved to Kochi recently. He reportedly barged into the house and attacked the woman-daughter duo without any provocation.
The mother came under attack initially before she managed to flee with her 12-year-old daughter. The younger daughter who was asleep woke up hearing her mother’s scream and started crying, drawing the attention of the accused.
He then reportedly locked himself in the room with the young girl and dragged her to the bathroom and put her head into the bucket. He loosened the grip only after the girl reportedly bit him on his hand. By that time, the girl had lost consciousness.
Following this, the accused opened the door and came out of the room, by which time people had assembled outside. He was produced in court in the evening. He is likely to be moved to a mental health care centre.
