After Theni jailbreak, prison guards manning district jail watchtowers in Tamil Nadu authorised to open fire
Though all prisons have watchtowers, they were previously not manned by armed guards due to a shortage of manpower or other reasons
The Tamil Nadu government has authorized prison guards at district jail watchtowers to open fire under specific circumstances, following a jailbreak in the Theni district. Seventeen remand prisoners overpowered prison staff and escaped on Friday, with 15 recaptured and two still at large. The decision to arm prison wardens at watchtowers was made after a review meeting with top officials.
All watchtowers across Tamil Nadu's district jails will now have armed guards. The jailbreak incident has prompted a security audit of all central and district prisons, with a focus on plugging gaps and strengthening security barriers. An artificial intelligence-powered dashboard containing live data on inmates and prison staff is also being developed.
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- Tamil Nadu Jail Break: 17 inmates escape from Theni sub-jail; Four held, border checks intensified - Top developments livemint.com
- 4 Undertrials Caught After 17 Escape From Tamil Nadu Jail, Manhunt Underway ndtv.com
- Theni jailbreak: Palaniswami, Dhinakaran criticise TVK-led Tamil Nadu government thehindu.com
- Fake medical emergency, prison guard attacked: 17 undertrials escape Tamil Nadu jail indianexpress.com
