Four of 17 Inmates Who Escaped from Tamil Nadu Sub-Jail Arrested; Search Underway for Others

Theni: Police have arrested four of the 17 inmates who escaped from the Thekkampatti sub-jail in Theni, Tamil Nadu. The arrested inmates have been identified as Praveen Kumar, Chilambarasan, Rajkumar and Raja Sikandar. A massive search operation is underway in forest areas across the district to trace the remaining 13 escapees.

According to police, all 17 inmates were lodged in the same cell. The group escaped after assaulting jail staff who entered the cell upon receiving information that one of the inmates was unwell. Thangapandi, a Grade II police officer at the Theni District Jail, sustained serious head injuries in the attack and was admitted to a government hospital. Two other jail staff members suffered minor injuries.

Police have issued alerts to their counterparts in neighbouring districts. Information has been shared with authorities in Idukki, Madurai and Dindigul districts. Photographs of the escaped inmates have also been circulated among police personnel. A case has been registered, and the investigation is underway.

Police records indicate that most of the escapees are young men aged between 19 and 26. They hail from various districts across Tamil Nadu, including Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Salem, Kanniyakumari and Theni.