Theni jailbreak: Human error led to escape of prisoners, says DGP-Prisons Sandeep Rai Rathore
Security audit of all prisons had been ordered after the escape of a prisoner in Puzhal recently
On Monday, October 26, 2026, at approximately 11 p.m., 17 remand prisoners successfully escaped from the Thekkampatti sub-jail near Andipatti in the Theni district. The break-out occurred after the inmates attacked the warders. The incident prompted a large-scale search operation, with the district police issuing an alert and deploying a significant force across check-points.
The Chief Minister, Vijayendra Bidari, arrived at the scene to coordinate with the Theni Superintendent of Police, Praveen Gowtham, and other officials. Preliminary investigations indicated that all 17 inmates were confined within a single cell. Initially, a few inmates had requested assistance for an epileptic inmate. Upon reaching the cell, the inmates overpowered the staff and made their escape.
As news of the incident spread, additional police personnel were dispatched to the area. The Inspector General of Police reported that one of the escaped prisoners, identified as Praveen Kumar, was recaptured within a few hours, along with three others, bringing the total number of arrests to four. The remaining accused are currently the subject of combing operations.
The inmates involved in the escape came from various districts, including Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Salem, and Villupuram. They were serving sentences for different criminal cases. The public is encouraged to provide any information related to the escaped prisoners by contacting 9498101570 or 9176104100.
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