The Ernakulam Central Police have arrested two men for attempting to rape a woman in Kochi. The incident happened on Tuesday night when the woman and her male friend entered an abandoned building near the Ernakulam South railway station to avoid getting drenched in the rain.

According to cops, the accused, Danish from Thiruvananthapuram and Rahul from Kollam, were consuming alcohol inside the building when they attempted to rape the woman. However, the woman and her friend managed to escape and informed the police, who took both accused into custody within 24 hours.

“The building, which had earlier functioned as a hotel, had remained abandoned for a long time and was known for anti-social activities,” said an officer with the Central Police.

He added that CCTV footage collected from the area helped identify the accused. “The visuals revealed details of the two-wheeler used by the accused, which helped in tracking them down,” the officer said, adding that both accused were habitual offenders with more than 10 criminal cases registered against them.