The two-year-old Labrador Genie, was tied to a 20-kg stool, as a group of men walked into the house of Boricha family in Safale village, Virar, Mumbai, reports Mumbai Mirror.

According to Kalpana Boricha and her mother Kunku, at 2 pm on February 1 the attackers entered  their house, located barely 10 km from Virar. Kalpana, who works for a well-known cosmetics company, said she and her mother were asleep at that time.

“All of a sudden we heard stones being pelted in our house. Around 10 men came running towards the door, which wasn’t locked, and five of them came inside. First, the men hit us with bare hands and sticks and then tore our clothes,” said the 21-year-old.

However, the attackers hadn’t accounted for Genie, the Labrador. Though she was tied to an iron stool, she charged towards the attackers, dragging 20 kg stool along with her.

“She barked ferociously and even bit one of the men. The attackers realised that they stood no chance and ran out of the house. As soon as they ran out we locked the door,” said Kalpana.

She added that one of the assailants was her cousin’s husband, Rahul Patil, while other was his brother Sachin. Kalpana had a fight with her cousin the previous day over a petty issue. “During the fight, my mother slapped me and my cousin. This must have enraged my cousin who narrated the incident to her husband,” she claimed.

On February 1 morning, Kalapna received threat calls on her cellphone, after which she rushed to Safale Police Station and lodged a non-cognisable complaint against her cousin’s family. It was in the afternoon, when she decided to take a nap, that she and her mother were attacked.

“Had it not been for Genie I don’t know what would have happened to us. The men were obviously very angry and were in no mood to listen. Sachin is a history sheeter and has several cases registered against him,” Kalpana said. While she suffered a fracture on her left hand, her mother sustained injuries on her head for which she had to receive a few stitches.

Safale police have registered a case of molestation and causing grievous hurt against the attackers. “We have booked the men and will arrest them. The mother and daughter were able to escape without any serious injuries thanks to the dog who pounced on the men,” said Sanjay Dhumal, assistant inspector in-charge of Safale Police Station.