17 Inmates Escape From Tamil Nadu Jail After Attacking Staff, 1 Arrested

Seventeen inmates escaped from the Thekkampatti sub-jail in Tamil Nadu's Theni district late on Monday night after allegedly assaulting prison personnel, officials said. One of the escapees has since been arrested, while police have deployed 17 special teams to track down the remaining prisoners.

South Zone Inspector General of Police Vijayendra Bidari said the arrested inmate, who hails from Madurai, was apprehended during combing operations in a forested area behind the prison. “One escaped prisoner has been arrested by police during combing operations,” Bidari said.

According to police, all 17 inmates were lodged in the same cell. The escape reportedly took place after prison personnel entered the cell in response to information that one of the prisoners was unwell. The inmates allegedly assaulted the personnel before fleeing.

Addressing the media, Bidari said the prisoners had staged an “epilepsy drama” as part of their plan to escape. Gr. II police personnel Thangapandi, who is attached to the Theni district jail, sustained a head injury in the incident and was admitted to the Government Hospital at G Vilakku.

Two other jail personnel also suffered minor injuries. Police have launched an intensive operation to trace the remaining escapees, with security tightened across neighbouring districts. Officers are checking vehicles and monitoring routes that the prisoners may have used to flee.

Dindigul Superintendent of Police S Jeyakumar said checkpoints had been established at 16 locations in the neighbouring district as a precautionary measure. Vehicle checks have also been intensified along the Dindigul-Theni highway.

Police in Madurai, Dindigul and Idukki have been alerted, while photographs of the escaped inmates have been circulated among officials to help identify and apprehend them. A case has been registered, and further investigation is under way.

The jailbreak has triggered a political controversy, with DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson criticising the state government over its handling of law and order. In a post on X, Wilson described the escape as “shameful” and said it reflected the state of law and order in Tamil Nadu.

He also called on Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who holds the law and order portfolio, to take moral responsibility for the incident. “Honble Chief minister C. Joseph Vijay @CMOTamilnadu who holds portfolio also should hang his head in shame and resign taking moral responsibility for the terrible law and order breakdown across the state,” Wilson wrote.

Wilson also referred to two jailbreaks at the high-security Puzhal prison in Tamil Nadu the previous week, citing them while criticising the state's law and order situation. Seventeen inmates escaped from the Thekkampatti sub-jail in Tamil Nadu's Theni district.

One has since been arrested during combing operations. The inmates reportedly staged a medical emergency, an Police deployed 17 special teams, established checkpoints, and intensified vehicle checks. Authorities in neighboring districts were alerted and escapee photographs circulated.

Yes, Gr. II police personnel Thangapandi sustained a head injury. Two other jail personnel also suffered minor injuries during the incident. ABP Live News delivers round-the-clock coverage of India and the world, tracking politics, policy, governance, crime, courts and breaking developments, while offering sharp, verified reporting that helps readers stay informed, aware and connected to the stories shaping public life.