17 remand prisoners escape Theni sub-jail after tricking warders; 4 held, 17 teams hunt rest

Seventeen remand prisoners escaped from the Thekkampatti sub-jail near Andipatti in Theni district late on Monday night after allegedly assaulting the warders on duty and fleeing the premises, police said.

The escape took place around 11 p.m. According to preliminary inquiries, all 17 inmates were locked in a single cell. At about 10.30 p.m., a few of them called out to the warder on duty, claiming that a fellow inmate had suffered seizures (epilepsy) and needed assistance.

Believing the claim, the staff opened the cell and went inside. The other inmates then attacked the personnel and made good their escape.

As news of the escape spread, the district police sounded an alert and deployed a large number of personnel at check-posts and in and around the sub-jail. Inspector General of Police (South Zone) Vijayendra Bidari rushed to the spot and held an inquiry with Theni Superintendent of Police Praveen Gowtham and other officers.

The IGP said one of those who escaped, identified as Praveen Kumar, was secured within a few hours, and three others were nabbed by police teams, taking the total number of arrests to four. "As many as 17 special teams have been formed. Combing operations are under way to secure all the remaining accused," he said.

A police officer attached to one of the special teams said many of the escaped inmates are from Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Salem and Villupuram districts, and were serving sentences in different criminal cases.

The police have released the names of the 17 prisoners who escaped: Lingam, Raja Sinkanthar, Karuppasamy, Silambarasan, Thirupathi, Maenchi Sundram, Sabari, Pon Muthu, Nijanth, Karthik Raja, Mugilan, Selva, Tharun, Rajkumar, Praveen, Muthu Ilango and Rajuveen.

Members of the public who have information about the prisoners still at large have been asked to contact the police on 9498101570 or 9176104100.

Sub-jails in Tamil Nadu typically hold remand prisoners and those serving shorter sentences, and are guarded by a limited number of warders, often on night shift. The incident is likely to focus attention on staffing levels and security procedures at such facilities in the district. The police have not yet announced whether a departmental inquiry will be ordered into how the cell was opened, or whether security at the sub-jail will be strengthened.

Further details on the circumstances of the escape, and on the offences for which the remaining prisoners were lodged at Thekkampatti, were not immediately available. Senior officers said combing operations would continue through the night across the district and in neighbouring areas.