Theni jail escape: 13 prisoners caught as police hunt for four others

Police have recaptured 13 of the 17 remand prisoners who escaped from the District Jail in Thekkampatti, Theni district, on Monday night. A statewide manhunt is continuing to trace the four remaining fugitives, with special police teams and drones deployed across several locations.

Nine prison staff members have been suspended following the incident. The jail, which started operations on January 10, 2019, has an authorised capacity of 200 inmates but was housing 334 prisoners on Monday.

According to the police, the escape began around 10 p.m. when inmates raised an alarm, claiming that a prisoner in the third block was suffering an epileptic seizure. When para guard Stalin Prabhu went to investigate, 17 prisoners allegedly overpowered him. They then took keys from guards near the main entrance, opened the gate and fled.

Prabhu sustained injuries and was admitted to a government hospital, where his condition was reported to be stable. The escaped prisoners allegedly assaulted prison personnel, including Madanmohan and Thangapandi. During the incident, they reportedly took a gold chain weighing one-and-a-half sovereigns from Madanmohan.

Five of the arrested prisoners have been identified as Praveenkumar from Theni, Silambarasan from Devaram, Rajkumar from Sundararajapuram in Madurai, Raja Sikandar from Melamadai in Madurai, and J. Prasanth, also known as Linga Prasanth, from Jaihindpuram in Madurai.

Kandamanur police have registered a case against all 17 escapees under eight legal provisions, including those concerning attempted murder, assault and robbery.

With 11 of the escapees reportedly belonging to Madurai district, police have intensified surveillance along the Vaigai river belt and at major bus terminals, including Mattuthavani, Arapalayam and Periyar. Checks have also been strengthened at bus stands in Theni, Andipatti and Cumbum, as well as railway stations, border checkpoints and areas adjoining Kerala.

Police units in Madurai, Dindigul, Virudhunagar and Sivaganga districts have been alerted as the search continues.