As many as 13 of 17 convicts who broke out of a jail in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district have been recaptured, and one of them was sent back in the auto he took after the escape.
“It appears that the prisoners escaped by a putting a drama as if one of them was unwell and suffering from fits or epilepsy. An official also confirmed that 13 convicts were recaptured again. Detailing about the incident in an official statement, the prison department said on October 26, a total of 334 prisoners were confined in prison.
The unsuspecting auto driver agreed to drop him at Kanavilakku, police said. A police head constable riding a two-wheeler intercepted the auto, identified the fugitive and asked the driver to take the “passenger” straight to prison. They were hiding in the forests behind the jail and with the use of drones, they were identified and arrested, he said. He further said a manhunt is on to nab the remaining four prisoners. “They have been placed under suspension for lack of duty”, the official said. They overpowered the prison guards and escaped,” said IGP South Zone Vijayendra S Bidari.
Besides, nine prison staff were suspended, an investigating officer said on Tuesday.
Opposition slams ‘Prison Break’
The jail escape drew criticism from the Opposition in Tamil Nadu. Former Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin slammed the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government over the incident.
He said that after “Breaking Bad”, “Prison Break” has taken place in the state. “Before the Tamil Nadu people could recover from the shock of two inmates escaping from Puzhal prison (near Chennai), last week, 17 inmates have escaped from the Theni district prison,” he said, adding that for the first since 1995 since 1995 so many prisoners have escaped in a short period. He said the incidents highlighted that the TVK government was “completely useless” and Tamil Nadu has reached a “pathetic state” where the public has to protect themselves.
