Tamil Nadu tightens prison security after Theni jailbreak; inmate escapes in Coimbatore
publishers 29articles 58first reported 27 Oct, 02:45 UTCdeveloping since 27 Oct · 6 editions
Tamil Nadu authorities tightened prison security and changed senior personnel after 17 undertrial prisoners escaped from the Theni district jail on October 26. All 17 were recaptured within about 40 hours, according to police and subsequent reports.
Police said the inmates staged an epileptic seizure to lure a warder into opening their cell, then overpowered staff, seized keys and fled through the main gate. Seventeen search teams, supported by drones and personnel deployed near the Kerala border, captured the prisoners in batches. Several guards were injured, and nine prison personnel were initially suspended over alleged negligence.
The state prisons department armed watchtower warders with self-loading rifles and authorised them to open fire if attacked or to prevent an escape. Officials also ordered security audits, issued procedures aimed at preventing further jailbreaks and said prisoners would be segregated more carefully, including separating alleged gang members and first-time offenders from hardened criminals.
The Tamil Nadu government later transferred prisons chief Sandeep Rai Rathore and appointed K. Shankar as head of Prisons and Correctional Services. Further disciplinary action was ordered against officials at the Theni facility, while the recaptured prisoners were to be moved to different prisons.
Days later, robbery suspect Raghavan escaped from the Coimbatore Central Prison complex after personnel removed his handcuffs during admission, The Indian Express reported. Police launched a search after he allegedly fled between the prison’s entrance gates, despite enhanced security introduced following the Theni breakout.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 8 with the publisher's own text; 3 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 102 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- Source articles
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- Given to the writer
- 8, 8 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 3
- This version written
- 102 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
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WHAT THE EDITOR DID
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