Theni Jailbreak: Police Expand Search to Kerala Forests for 13 Absconding Prisoners

Seventeen inmates escaped late Monday night after allegedly attacking prison personnel. Four prisoners have since been recaptured, while special teams continued efforts to trace the remaining escapees on Tuesday.

Kerala Police has been alerted, and search operations are underway in forest stretches, including parts of Idukki district bordering Tamil Nadu, a senior police officer said.

Photographs of the escaped prisoners have been circulated among police personnel at various locations in both states to facilitate identification and apprehension.

Forest Areas Along State Border Under Surveillance

The search has expanded to forest routes along the Tamil Nadu–Kerala border, with police teams checking these areas for possible leads.

Authorities are also examining information obtained during the questioning of the four recaptured inmates to help establish the whereabouts of the remaining prisoners.

Police have not disclosed where the four inmates were apprehended. However, a senior officer said information obtained from them was being pursued by special teams as the search continued.

The Inspector General of Police for the South Zone confirmed that details of the jailbreak had been shared with senior police officers in Kerala and that coordinated combing operations were underway.

Three Prison Personnel Receiving Treatment

The escape was reportedly preceded by an attack on prison personnel. One of the injured staff members, Thangapandi, a Grade II Constable, was admitted to the Theni Government Medical College and Hospital.

Two other personnel were also undergoing treatment, according to a senior police officer. Details about the nature and severity of their injuries were not immediately available.

The attack on prison staff and the circumstances surrounding the escape are expected to be examined as part of the investigation.

DGP Announces Detailed Investigation

Tamil Nadu Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal said a comprehensive inquiry would be conducted once all the escaped prisoners had been brought back into custody.

“Once the remaining 13 prisoners are also secured, we will conduct a thorough enquiry,” he said.

For now, the focus remains on locating the fugitives through coordinated searches, information-sharing and follow-up leads across the two states.

As of Tuesday, four of the 17 prisoners had been recaptured, while the search for the remaining 13 continued, including in forest areas near the Tamil Nadu–Kerala border.