PTI
Theni (TN)
In a brazen and meticulously planned escape, 17 undertrial prisoners broke out of the Thekkampatti sub-jail here late Monday night after staging a fake medical emergency and overpowering prison guards, but luck ran out for 13 of them as a relentless police crackdown ensured they were back behind bars within hours.
The dramatic jailbreak unfolded at around 10 pm on Monday. According to prison officials, the inmates triggered panic inside the cell by faking a severe medical emergency, claiming one of them was suffering a violent seizure.
Responding to the cries for help, unsuspecting warders opened the cell door to render assistance, only to be violently ambushed and overpowered by 17 prisoners in the block. The inmates snatched the keys and opened the main entrance and escaped. Director General of Prisons Sandeep Rai Rathore, who rushed to the spot to inspect the sub-jail and oversee operations, confirmed that 13 of the escaped prisoners have already been nabbed following a coordinated, high-intensity search operation.
“Thirteen arrests have been made so far since the incident occurred last night,” Rathore told reporters after assessing the security breaches at the facility.
“Massive efforts are currently underway to trace the remaining four fugitives who are still at large. Our teams are working around the clock, and we are highly confident that the police will apprehend them very soon” Rathore said.
Also, he confirmed that nine prison personnel have been suspended in connection with the security lapse, which officials have attributed to human error.
The police said the incident left three officers injured. Five prisoners were recaptured shortly. The police successfully located and apprehended eight additional prisoners hiding in remote area and dense areas by effectively using drones, which proved vital in spotting the eight individuals hiding in thorny bushes near the prison grounds, though they had remained undetected earlier.
Inspector General of Police (South Zone) Vijayendra Bidari has formed 17 special teams to track the escapees and also intensified vehicle checks in the neighbouring Dindigul district too, as many of the undertrials belong to Madurai and surrounding areas.
The incident drew sharp criticism from the Opposition, which questioned the administrative capability of the months-old C Joseph Vijay government, with DMK president and former CM MK Stalin claiming such an incident had happened in Tamil Nadu after 30 years.
Stalin alluded to popular American series – ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Prison Break’ – to launch a scathing attack on the TVK-led government over the law and order situation, following consecutive jailbreaks in Puzhal and Theni prisons.
“I thought that only criminals who are out on bail are not being monitored. This regime is intent on allowing prisoners inside the prison to escape,” he slammed.
Responding to his criticism, TVK IT Wing retorted “the hallmark of the DMK regime was that it had not given complete leadership to the police and not even appointed the DGP. In this situation, what moral right does the DMK have to talk about law and order.”
It further said “with all these problems in the Dummy Daddy regime, with what face do you give advice to others today.”
