THENI: Overcrowding, inadequate staffing and alleged violations of prison security protocols have come under scrutiny following the escape of 17 undertrial prisoners from the district Jail at Thekkampatti on Monday night.
The jail, which has an authorised capacity of 200 inmates, housed 334 prisoners on October 26. Nine prison personnel have been suspended for alleged negligence in connection with the incident.
A major concern is that all 17 inmates were reportedly confined in a single shared cell, allegedly in violation of the Tamil Nadu Prison Rules and Manual.
According to the prison security manual, a single cell should accommodate no more than five inmates. Restricting the number is intended to prevent warders from being outnumbered when a cell door is opened, particularly during an emergency.
In the Thekkampatti jailbreak incident, the large number of inmates confined in a single cell is suspected to have given them an opportunity to plan the escape, with the prisoners allegedly staging an epileptic seizure to trick the warders into opening the cell door before overpowering them.
Further it is said security protocols require adequate backup before a cell is opened at night. However, at Thekkampatti sub-jail, a warder allegedly fell for the staged medical emergency and opened the door without ensuring adequate security, enabling the inmates to overpower the staff and flee.
Moreover, lack of multiple security gates and advanced surveillance systems at the sub-jail has raised questions about its security preparedness.
Among the 17 escapees, seven are said to have murder cases pending against them while the others were remand prisoners facing trial in theft, burglary and assault cases.
Thirteen of the 17 escapees have since been recaptured, while a search is under way for the remaining four.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
