KAYAMKULAM: A notorious criminal was arrested by Kanakakunnu police after he barged into the house of a 70-year-old woman and sexually molested her. Kandalloor native Dhanesh (29) was arrested for the crime.

The shocking incident occurred on Saturday night in Kilimukku on the border of Kanakakunnu police station. The house was in a secluded area and the culprit was hiding nearby till 10 pm waiting for all the neighbours to sleep. After 10 pm, he walked towards the house and knocked on the door. Seeing no response, he barged inside and then started assaulting the widow. The elder woman screamed but failed to alert the neighbours.

At around midnight, the culprit took away eight sovereigns of gold ornaments including a necklace, three bangles and earrings, by threatening the widow at knifepoint. He then locked the door from the front and escaped.

At seven o'clock on Sunday morning, a young man who came to feed the cow in the adjacent field talked with the widow and came to know about the horrific crime. The police were alerted and the woman was rushed to Alappuzha Medical College Hospital, where she is now recovering well.

On Sunday morning, accused Dhanesh went to a nearby pawnbroker to pledge gold. The shopkeeper, aware of Dhanesh’s shenanigans delayed the process. The police soon came to know about the happenings and reached Dhanesh’s house. The officials had a tough time after the accused threatened the police with suicide.

Dhanesh is accused in several cases, including the case of vandalizing the Kanakakunnu police jeep during the Pullukulangara temple festival two years ago. A drug addict, Dhanesh had committed a similar crime two years ago after he barged into the house of a widow and tried molesting her. However, the plan failed after the widow screamed which alerted the neighbours. A complaint has also been filed against him in an incident of stabbing a neighbour's dog to death during a robbery attempt. The accused was brought home and evidence was taken.