mumbai

Updated: Apr 14, 2017 09:52 IST

A stray dog that had been adopted by a woman repaid her kindness by laying down its life saving her from a knife-wielding attacker in Mumbai’s Antop Hill area recently. The woman, Sumiti Devendra, escaped unhurt but Lucky the dog bled to death within minutes after it took the knife thrust meant for the woman.

Sumiti, 26, says she just can’t come to terms with losing Lucky, a neighbourhood stray she had adopted to ward off loneliness after losing her mother last year.

“After my mother’s sudden death, I was lonely and sad. Then Lucky came into my life. Kids playing in the area had dropped him at my doorstep. As he was alone and walked into my house, I adopted him,” said Sumiti who lives with her brother.

On the night of April 9, Sumiti said, she heard a sudden commotion and stepped out of her house to investigate. She saw a neighbour, Venkatesh Devendra, arguing with his girlfriend Jyoti and her sister Rosy.

Sumiti Devendra had brought Lucky home last year after she lost her mother. ( Pratik Salunke/HT photo )

“Their fight soon escalated and Venkatesh went to his home nearby and came back with a knife,” Sumiti said.

A terrified Rosy ran away and Sumiti, too, rushed indoors. Venkatesh still barged into her house. Sumiti pushed him out but he came at her with his knife.

“My dog barked and charged at him. Venkatesh stabbed him,” she said.

Venkatesh managed to escape, leaving a profusely bleeding Lucky behind.

Police were informed and Venkatesh arrested but that has done little to ease Sumiti’s sense of loss. She got Lucky 13 months ago when it was a pup.

“I was battling loneliness after my mother’s death when Lucky came into our lives... I named him Lucky as he was indeed very lucky for us. I have lost a family member... He was everything to me,” she said.