India

Five Tamil Nadu Prisoners Re‑Arrested After Theni Jailbreak, One Returned in Auto

By S Vijay Karthik

Five of the 17 inmates who escaped from the Theni sub‑jail in Tamil Nadu have been recaptured, and one was returned to custody in the auto he had taken after the escape. Director General of Police (Prisons) and Correctional Services Dr Sandeep Rai Rathore and IGP South Zone Vijayendra S Bidari visited the site and met local jail officials. IGP Bidari confirmed that four of the escaped prisoners were arrested during combing operations, while the fifth was apprehended from an autorickshaw that the fugitive had used. The auto driver, who had agreed to drop the prisoner at Kanavilakku, was later intercepted by a police head constable on a two‑wheeler. The constable identified the fugitive and directed the driver to take him straight to prison. Nine prison staff members were suspended following the incident. The escape was reportedly staged by the prisoners, who pretended that one of them was suffering from epilepsy and required medical attention, allowing them to overpower guards. The jailbreak has drawn criticism from opposition leaders. Former chief minister MK Stalin accused the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government of incompetence, noting that this was the first mass escape in Tamil Nadu since 1995. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami described the incident as a “rude shock” and questioned the state of the prison department after a recent inspection. The BJP also condemned the jailbreak as a humiliating failure. The incident follows a separate escape of two inmates from the highly‑secured Puzhal central prison near Chennai on October 13, which was resolved after a manhunt and the formation of 14 special teams.