Drone footage captures massive forest operation after Theni jailbreak
THENI: Drone footage shows the forest search for inmates who escaped from a district jail in Tamil Nadu’s Theni, with visuals capturing the operation to track down the fugitives as they attempted to evade the massive manhunt.
Police have arrested 13 of the 17 inmates who escaped, deploying specialised drones and teams to comb the forested and mountainous terrain surrounding the jail. Police have arrested 13 of the 17 inmates who escaped from the sub-jail. The jailbreak has triggered a political exchange in the state, with opposition leaders questioning the government’s handling of law and order and prison security. (With agency inputs) You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Chennai | Silver Rate in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai | Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Petrol Price in Chennai | Diesel Price in Chennai | CNG Price in Chennai | LPG Price in Chennai Stay updated with the latest Chennai news.
Prison DGP Sandeep Rai Rathore, who visited the jail, said Tamil Nadu Police had actively participated in the operation, with two teams working together to apprehend the escaped inmates. Three specialised drones were deployed after daylight to scan large stretches of the area, with officials saying footage helped narrow down the locations of the escaped inmates. Five Special Task Force teams were also called in to comb forest areas as the search operation intensified. The jailbreak occurred late Monday night when the inmates allegedly pretended to suffer epileptic seizures, prompting prison personnel to open their cell. The inmates allegedly attacked the guards who approached to help them before fleeing the premises. The forested and mountainous landscape around the jail posed a challenge for the search operation. Police sealed exit routes and established armed checkposts while teams carried out systematic combing operations to locate the fugitives. Seventeen special teams were formed to track the escaped inmates, while four Tamil Nadu Special Police companies were deployed to assist. Police also alerted neighbouring districts and Kerala Police to prevent the escapees from crossing state borders. Railway tracks and stations were covered as part of the operation, while checks were conducted at airports. Police circulated photographs and identification details of the escapees and sought public assistance in tracing them. Forest guards and revenue officials were asked to support the search, while villages in the region and taxi, auto and bus stands were alerted to help identify the fugitives. The latest list of arrested inmates includes Karuppasamy alias Madhan, Dharunkumar, Rajkumar, Pandiselvam, Sabarinathan, Nisanth, Muthu Ilangovan, Karthik Raja, Prasanth alias Linga Prasanth, Raja Sinkanthar, Silambarasan, Soalimugileswaran and Praveenkumar. The incident has also led to disciplinary action within the prison department, with nine officials suspended in connection with the escape. Download the TOI App.