- Seventeen prisoners escaped Theni jail after assaulting staff.
- Nine prison personnel suspended; five escapees recaptured.
- Statewide search for 12 remaining prisoners underway.
- Jail overcrowding, security concerns prompted intensified investigations.
Police have recaptured 13 of the 17 remand prisoners who escaped from Tamil Nadu’s Theni District Jail on Monday night after allegedly assaulting prison staff. A statewide search is under way for the remaining fugitives, with special police teams and drones deployed to track them down.
Nine prison personnel have been suspended following the incident. Prison DGP Sandeep Rai Rathore visited the district jail as part of the investigation.
“So far, 13 people have been arrested. Nine prison department officials have been suspended. The Tamil Nadu Police were actively involved in efforts to apprehend the escaped prisoners. Two teams were working together on the operation,” Rathore said.
Theni Jail Houses 334 Inmates Against Capacity Of 200
The District Jail at Thekkampatti began functioning on January 10, 2019, and has an authorised capacity of 200 inmates. However, 334 prisoners were lodged there as of Monday.
A case has been registered against the 17 escapees, who allegedly assaulted prison personnel Stalin Prabhu, Madanmohan and Thangapandi. The prisoners allegedly assaulted Madanmohan and fled with a gold chain weighing one-and-a-half sovereigns.
The incident occurred around 10 pm on Monday when some prisoners raised an alarm, claiming that an inmate in the third block was experiencing an epileptic seizure. When para guard Prabhu went to check on the inmate, 17 prisoners allegedly overpowered him.
The prisoners then seized keys from guards at the main gate, opened the entrance and fled. Prabhu sustained injuries and was admitted to the Government Hospital in the town. He is said to be stable.
Five Escaped Prisoners Recaptured
The five arrested prisoners have been identified as Praveenkumar of Theni; Silambarasan of Devaram in Theni; Rajkumar of Sundararajapuram in Madurai; Raja Sikandar of Melamadai in Madurai; and J Prasanth, alias Linga Prasanth, of Jaihindpuram in Madurai, who is differently abled.
The Kandamanur police have registered a case against the 17 escapees under eight sections of law, including those relating to attempted murder, assault and robbery.
Drones Deployed, Checks Intensified Across Districts
The search operation was intensified on Tuesday morning, with drones deployed to scan areas around the prison and nearby forested stretches where the fugitives could be hiding.
As 11 of the escapees are reportedly from Madurai district, police have intensified checks along the Vaigai river belt and at major bus stands, including Mattuthavani, Arapalayam and Periyar.
Surveillance has also been stepped up at bus stands in Theni, Andipatti and Cumbum, as well as railway stations, checkposts and border areas adjoining Kerala. Police teams in Madurai, Dindigul, Virudhunagar and Sivaganga districts have been alerted.
Prison DGP Sandeep Rai Rathore, who arrived in Madurai on Tuesday, visited Theni to investigate the circumstances surrounding the escape. South Zone Inspector General of Police Vijayendra Bidari inspected the prison and reviewed the investigation. R Kanagaraj, Inspector General of Prisons and Correctional Services, and Prison DIG A Murugesan also visited the facility.
Police are investigating whether the escape was collectively planned and examining the criminal backgrounds and possible contacts of the fugitives.
Security Tightened At Prisons Across Tamil Nadu
The incident has prompted authorities to strengthen security at prisons across Tamil Nadu, including those in Madurai and Palayamkottai. Additional security measures are also being planned for accused persons being produced before courts.
Sources said Theni District Judge Saravanakumar inspected the prison on Monday as part of a routine visit.
The mass escape has raised concerns across the state, recalling the escape of 43 LTTE inmates from a special camp prison in Vellore 31 years ago, reportedly through a tunnel dug beneath the facility.
The Theni district police have appealed to the public to share information about the escapees by contacting the district special branch at 9498101570 or the district police control room at 9176104100.
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