A 35-year-old theft convict, identified as Nelliyamkunnam Suneesh, is on the run after allegedly assaulting two elderly women in Nelliyamkunnam near Alathur.

Alathur police said Suneesh had recently been released from a jail in Tamil Nadu after serving a one-year sentence in connection with a theft case. Suneesh first entered the house of an elderly woman who lives alone in Nelliyamkunnam and allegedly assaulted her. When she screamed, he fled the house and ran to a neighbouring residence, where he allegedly tried to assault another elderly woman.

When the woman screamed, Suneesh covered her mouth. He fled the scene after residents heard her screams and rushed to the house, police said.

According to police, Suneesh is a neighbour of both the women. “He has struggled to hold a steady job due to his criminal background. He is married and has a family, but his family life has also been affected by his repeated involvement in criminal activities,” police said.

The two women sustained minor injuries in the incident and sought treatment at a nearby taluk hospital. An FIR has been registered, and police are investigating to trace and apprehend the accused.