Theni, Oct 2026 : Seventeen prisoners escaped from Thekkampatti district jail near Andipatti in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district after allegedly assaulting prison guards on Monday night, triggering a massive manhunt. Police recaptured four of the escapees by Tuesday morning, while efforts continued to trace the remaining 13.
According to preliminary inquiries, one prisoner allegedly pretended to suffer a seizure to lure guards into the enclosure. When the personnel entered to provide first aid, the inmates reportedly attacked them and fled the facility. One guard sustained injuries in the assault and was admitted to a hospital. Details of his condition were not immediately available.
The escape occurred around 10 pm on Monday. Theni Superintendent of Police Praveen Gautham rushed to the prison after receiving information about the incident and inspected the premises. Southern Zone Inspector General of Police Vijayendra Bidari also visited the jail and questioned personnel about the circumstances surrounding the breakout.
Speaking to reporters, Bidari said police received information about the escape at around 10.20 pm. Seventeen special police teams were formed to locate the fugitives, with search operations launched across the district.
Praveen, a resident of Perungudi in Madurai district, was the first escapee to be recaptured. Police found him in a forested area near the jail and brought him back into custody. During questioning, investigators sought information about the alleged escape plan and the destinations the prisoners intended to reach. His interrogation reportedly revealed the seizure ruse used to draw the guards into the enclosure.
Police subsequently apprehended Silambarasan, a resident of Devaram in Theni district. Two other escapees, identified as Rajkumar and Raja Sikandar, were also caught, taking the total number of prisoners recaptured to four.
Following the incident, police intensified vehicle checks throughout Theni district. Search teams deployed sniffer dogs to track the remaining fugitives, while operations continued in areas surrounding the prison.
The Thekkampatti facility houses undertrial prisoners from Theni, Madurai and Dindigul districts, among other areas. Most of those who escaped were reportedly undertrials from Madurai district, while three were said to face detention proceedings under the Goondas Act.
Investigators are examining how the prisoners coordinated the alleged assault, breached security and managed to escape from the premises. The incident has raised questions about the jail’s security arrangements as police continue efforts to apprehend the 13 prisoners still at large.
