Two women attacked an Iranian cleric after he alerted the authorities that they were violating the law by walking their dogs, the Khabaronline news outlet reported.

When the cleric chastised the women for doing something forbidden, they started attacking him verbally. When he alerted the police, they pursued him and rammed him with their car before fleeing the scene. The cleric sustained a head injury.

Local police are investigating the incident and are trying to identify the women. If found guilty of bodily harm and fleeing the scene, they will face lengthy jail terms.

Despite the fact that pet dogs are generally considered impure by Iranian clerics, animals are increasingly popular across Iran. Iranians with pets usually walk their dogs in the evening, when the ban is less often enforced.