Theni, Oct. 27 (IANS) Police have recaptured 13 of the 17 remand prisoners who escaped from the Thekkampatti district jail near Andipatti in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district after allegedly attacking prison guards.
A search is continuing for the remaining four escapees. Eight prisoners were caught in the latest operation after police reportedly used drones to locate them in the hills behind the prison.
Their capture followed the arrest of five others during an earlier phase of the search, bringing the total number apprehended to 13.
Director-General of Prisons and Correctional Services Sandeep Rai Rathore confirmed the progress while speaking to reporters after completing an inspection and inquiry at the jail. He said police and prison personnel were jointly conducting operations to track down those who remained at large.
“So far, 13 prisoners have been arrested in the joint search conducted by police and prison personnel. The remaining prisoners will be arrested soon. Updates on the arrests will be provided periodically,” Rathore told reporters.
Meanwhile, nine employees of the Theni district jail have reportedly been suspended for dereliction of duty following the escape. The action comes amid an examination of the circumstances surrounding the breakout and the security arrangements at the facility.
The jailbreak occurred after a group of inmates allegedly gathered inside the prison and attacked guards on duty.
Seventeen remand prisoners subsequently escaped from the premises, prompting prison personnel to alert the Theni district police superintendent’s office.
Acting on instructions from Superintendent of Police K.S. Praveen Gautham, police personnel were deployed around Thekkampatti and vehicle checks were intensified across the district.
Teams searched an area extending approximately 10 kilometres around the prison as part of efforts to intercept the fugitives.
The first five prisoners recaptured were identified as Praveen Kumar, Silambarasan, Raja Sikandar, Rajkumar and Lingaprasad. Police subsequently continued searching for the other 12 inmates before locating eight of them in the nearby hills.
According to reports, drone surveillance helped police identify where the eight prisoners were hiding. Teams then surrounded the area and apprehended them, marking a significant development in the operation launched after the overnight escape.
The prison, which houses remand inmates, has guards deployed round the clock. The breakout has brought its security arrangements under scrutiny, with the search for the four remaining prisoners continuing alongside the departmental inquiry.
–IANS
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