NEW DELHI: Days after stray dogs made grim headlines when a pack killed a seven-year-old boy in southwest Delhi, here's another stray tale that may restore your faith in man's best friend. A dog in Vasant Kunj fought off a suspected burglar and, despite being slashed with a knife, did not back off till the man had fled.

Pingu, a stray adopted by residents of C-8 Vasant Kunj, has since been treated for its wounds and sports a 'bravery medal' around its neck.

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It was around 1.30am on Wednesday when security guard Jeet Yadav spotted a man walking suspiciously around an apartment block in the colony. "He was well-built and had covered his face with a gamchha (scarf)," the 60-something guard said.

"I called out to him but he didn't respond. Pingu, who was with me, immediately ran towards the man and pounced on him," said Yadav, who has been privately hired by a company CEO who lives in the neighbourhood.

"The dog jumped on the intruder 's chest and gnawed at his cheek. That's when the man fished out a knife from his trouser pocket and slashed at the dog's hind legs to shake him off," Yadav said.

The intruder then fled the colony by scaling the boundary wall, the guard said. "Pingu is a friendly dog. It never harms anyone. Perhaps, it could instinctually sense the intruder's intentions," he added.

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What's surprising though is that no one tended to the dog as it lay bleeding. Yadav's employer said the guard did not wake them up after the incident. Yadav, however, said he did raise an alarm and there were other guards who gathered around.

Poornima Mishra, president of the Vasant Kunj C-8 RWA said the dog had bled for five-six hours. "I took him to the vet around 7am on Wednesday morning. The guard told me he did not wake up anyone at the dead of the night presuming no one would care for a stray," she said.

"Pingu has been around for four to five years. My son and his friends named him. I have put a medal around him for his selfless act," Mishra added.

Gunjan Uppal, a volunteer with South Delhi Animal Lovers who accompanied Mishra, said that it was difficult to get hold of Pingu initially. "He was very cautious about not letting anyone touch him. We found it quite difficult to wrap him in a blanket and take him to the vet. He's a braveheart and deserves the treatment," Uppal said.

Veterinarian R T Sharma, who treated Pingu, he said the tendons on the dog's hind legs were damaged in the knife attack. "This will prevent him from running. It'll take a while for him to recover," he said.