Madurai (Tamil Nadu), October 27 : Police have intensified the search for escaped undertrial prisoners from Tamil Nadu's Theni sub-jail, deploying drones and conducting intensive checks at bus stands across the Kavi Vilakku area following the jailbreak.
As part of the ongoing operation, police personnel are checking bus stands and monitoring movement in the area to trace the remaining fugitives.
A total of 17 undertrial prisoners escaped from Theni sub-jail on the night of October 26–27. One of the escapees was arrested earlier, following which an official press note listed 16 prisoners as still at large. Police have now arrested four more inmates during combing operations, taking the total number of arrested escapees to five, while 12 remain at large.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Prisons Director General of Police Sandeep Rai Rathore arrived at Madurai Airport from Chennai on Tuesday to investigate the jailbreak.
Rathore subsequently left for Theni sub-jail to conduct an on-site investigation and examine the circumstances surrounding the escape.
The jailbreak has triggered intensified search operations, with authorities stepping up efforts to trace the fugitives.
The escape triggered a major manhunt across southern Tamil Nadu, with police teams conducting combing operations and vehicle checks to track down the fugitives.
Earlier in the day, Inspector General of Police (South Zone) Vijayendra Bidari confirmed that four of the escaped prisoners had been arrested during the search operations. He also announced the formation of 17 specialised teams to track down the remaining escapees.
According to police, the inmates allegedly used a medical emergency as a pretext to get prison staff to open their shared cell. They then attacked the personnel and fled the premises.
Three prison personnel were injured during the incident. Grade II Police Constable Thangapandi sustained a head injury and was admitted to the Government Hospital at G Vilakku, while two other personnel suffered minor injuries.
Theni District Police has released the particulars of 16 escaped prisoners. They are Karuppasamy (alias) Mathan, Tharun Kumar, Rajkumar, Pandiselvam, Thiruppathi, Ponmuthuchelvan, Meenakshi Sundaram, Sabarinathan, Rejin, Nisanth, Muthu Ilangovan, Karthik Raja, Prasanth (alias) Linga Prasath, Raja Sikkandar, Silambarasan and Solai Mugilaeswaran.
Police have appealed to the public to share any information with the Theni District Special Branch Office (9498101570) or the Theni District Police Control Room (9176104100).
Security has also been tightened across neighbouring districts. Dindigul Superintendent of Police S Jeyakumar confirmed that check posts had been established at 16 locations in the district. Photographs of the fugitives have been circulated among police teams in Madurai, Dindigul and Idukki in neighbouring Kerala, with vehicle checks underway on key routes.
A case has been registered, and an investigation into the security lapse is underway.