Man caught by residents when he returned to collect phone after attempted sexual assault of elderly woman

Chennai: A 35-year-old man was caught by residents when he returned to retrive his phone after attempting to to sexually assault an 80-year-old woman at her house near Tiruvallur.

Police said the elderly woman, a resident of Selai village near Tiruvallur, was living alone.

On Saturday night, the accused, who was drunk, entered the woman’s house and attempted to sexually assault her while she was asleep, police said. She fought back and attacked him with a stick.

Unable to withstand the assault, he fled. Hearing the commotion, the woman’s relatives and neighbours rushed to the spot. During his escape, the accused accidentally dropped his mobile phone at the scene.

A few minutes later, he returned to the area in search of the phone. The woman’s relatives and neighbours caught beat him and handed him over to the Tiruvallur Taluk police.

Police have detained the accused and are conducting further inquiry.