Seventeen Inmates Escape Tamil Nadu Sub-Jail After Faking Seizures

Seventeen remand prisoners escaped from the Thekkampatti sub-jail in Tamil Nadu after attacking guards on Monday night, prompting an intensive manhunt across the district.

Police have recaptured 4 of the escaped inmates, leaving 13 individuals still at large following the late-night incident.

The suspects were being held for various criminal offenses, including attempt to murder and drug-related charges, while investigations examine potential security lapses.

Inspector General of Police Vijayendra Bidari said, We are confident we will secure all of them.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that the inmates coordinated the escape by luring staff into their shared cell under false pretenses.

A few prisoners called the duty warder around 10:30 p.m. to report that an inmate was suffering from epileptic seizures.

When the staff opened the door to provide assistance, the inmates assaulted the personnel and fled the facility.

The confrontation left at least one police officer with injuries, according to NDTV.

Authorities formed 17 special teams to comb the difficult terrain of the local forest area where the suspects are believed to be hiding.

Police also established checkposts at 16 points to prevent the remaining fugitives from leaving the district.

The four recaptured prisoners were identified as Praveen Kumar, Silambarasan, Rajkumar, and Raja Sikandar.

Police records show the escapees belong largely to a young adult demographic ranging from 19 to 26 years of age.

Many of the accused hail from districts including Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Salem, and Villupuram, according to The Hindu.

The Times of India reported that police released photographs and residential details of the escapees to assist the public in locating them.

Officials have urged citizens to report any information regarding the whereabouts of the fugitives.