TN: Undertrials Stage Medical Emergency to Escape Theni Sub-Jail, Four Held

Seventeen undertrial prisoners escaped from the Thekkampatti sub-jail near Andipatti in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district after allegedly overpowering prison staff late Monday. Four of the escapees were recaptured shortly after the incident, police said on Tuesday.

According to police, the inmates staged an epileptic seizure to trick prison personnel into opening their shared cell. Some prisoners raised an alarm, claiming that an inmate was seriously unwell and needed immediate assistance.

When the warden and other prison personnel entered the cell to help, the inmates allegedly launched a sudden assault, overpowered the security staff and fled the premises.

Three prison officers sustained injuries during the attack, police said.

Efforts were under way to trace the remaining escapees following the jailbreak. Police were also investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, including how the prisoners managed to overpower the personnel on duty and flee the facility.

The incident has raised questions about security arrangements at the sub-jail, particularly how the prisoners allegedly coordinated the escape by exploiting a fabricated medical emergency.

Police said four of the 17 prisoners had been recaptured shortly after fleeing the facility, while the search for the remaining escapees continued.