Tamil Nadu forms panel to review prison security after Theni escape
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has appointed a committee to examine security lapses and recommend measures to prevent prisoner escapes.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has established a high-level committee to evaluate prison security across Tamil Nadu, according to reports from The New Indian Express and South First. The decision follows an incident on October 26 where 17 inmates escaped from the Theni District Jail.
The panel will be led by retired Director General of Police (DGP) J K Tripathi. Joining him are Additional DGP (Prisons and Correctional Services) K Shankar and retired Deputy Inspector General of Prisons S Rajendran. The committee is tasked with investigating the circumstances of the escape and identifying security deficiencies.
The group will inspect current prison facilities, evaluate standard operating procedures, and look for gaps in technology. They will also study whether staffing levels are sufficient for the current workload and examine successful security models used in India and other countries.
During the escape at Theni, inmates allegedly overpowered a ward guard and seized keys to open the main entrance. The jail was housing 334 prisoners at the time, which was 134 more than its sanctioned capacity of 200. Prisons Director General of Police Sandeep Rai Rathore has suspended nine personnel for dereliction of duty.
The Chief Minister has ordered that prison security be improved on a war footing and warned of strict action against negligent officials. ADGP K Shankar stated that the department has not been given a specific deadline for the committee's report.