PTI

Kollam, Dec 13: 'Man biting dog', the proverbial basic lesson of all journalism manuals defining what is "news", has literally happened in a village near here when a 65-year-old man, in a fit of anger, bit a rabid dog for attacking his duck and ended up in hospital.

Pappan bit the dog so hard in its throat that it bled profusely. However, it was later clubbed to death by the irate villagers.

The rabid dog had been frightening the residents of Pakakkadavu village in Kollam district for the past few weeks.

On Wednesday, the dog strayed into Pappan's compound and took away his duck. An angry Pappan sprang on the dog and the duo started a fight in a slushy ditch.

The man-dog fight that went on for a while, drew a fairly large crowd around them. According to witnesses, the dog held one of Pappan's palms firmly in its mouth. He, in turn, bit the dog's throat with all his force to get his palm freed.

Soon, both the animal and the man got exhausted, and the onlookers saved the man and beat the dog to death.

Pappan was first taken to a local hospital but was later referred to the medical college hospital in Thiruvananthapuram for treatment of Rabies.