Published Nov 02, 2026 | 5:24 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 02, 2026 | 5:24 PM
The Theni jailbreak, one of the largest in decades, took place on the night of 26 October.
Synopsis: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has appointed a committee headed by retired IPS officer JK Tripathy to review prison security across the State after 17 inmates escaped from Theni District Jail on 26 October. The panel has been asked to recommend comprehensive measures to strengthen prison security.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has constituted a high-level committee headed by retired IPS officer JK Tripathy to review prison security across the State and recommend measures to prevent escapes, a week after 17 inmates escaped from Theni District Jail.
The committee will enquire into the security lapses that led to the escape and examine the security infrastructure, standard operating procedures (SOPs), technological gaps and manpower deployment in prisons across Tamil Nadu.
Tripathy, former Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu, will chair the committee. Additional Director General of Police and Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services K Shankar and retired Deputy Inspector General of Prisons S Rajendran are its members.
The panel has been asked to recommend comprehensive measures to strengthen prison security, taking into account best practices followed in other parts of the country and abroad. It will submit its recommendations to the State government at the earliest.
Vijay has directed that prison security be strengthened on a ‘war footing’ and that accountability be fixed for negligence in duty.
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The Theni jailbreak, one of the largest in decades, took place on the night of 26 October.
According to police, Theni District Jail, which has been functioning at Thekkampatti since 10 January 2019, has a sanctioned capacity of 200 inmates. However, 334 prisoners were lodged in the facility on 26 October, meaning the jail was housing 134 inmates beyond its authorised capacity and operating at approximately 167 percent of its sanctioned capacity.
The incident occurred at around 10 pm, when some prisoners raised an alarm claiming that an inmate in the third block was experiencing an epileptic seizure.
Stalin Prabhu, a Grade II police constable (No. 15) serving as the ward guard for the third block, entered to check whether the inmate required medical attention. The prisoners allegedly attacked and overpowered him before attempting to escape.
Guards deployed at the main entrance initially attempted to prevent the prisoners from fleeing. However, the inmates allegedly attacked the guards, seized the keys, opened the main entrance and escaped from the jail.
Tamil Nadu Prisons Director General of Police Sandeep Rai Rathore ordered the suspension of nine prison personnel in connection with the incident, citing dereliction of duty. A detailed investigation into the security lapse was also ordered.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
