The escape erupted when inmates staged an epileptic seizure, allowing them to overrun guards, seize keys and force the main gate open. The 17 undertrials, aged 19 to 26, came from districts such as Madurai, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram and Salem. Their sudden flight through the dense Theni forest was captured on drone footage, which showed them sprinting toward the hills before being spotted from above.
South Zone IG Vijayendra Bidari explained the strategy to NDTV, noting a cordon around all exit routes and a systematic combing of the terrain. Three specialised drones were launched alongside 17 ground teams to pinpoint the fugitives' locations. The aerial surveillance enabled the police to arrest 13 escapees within 24 hours.
The jailbreak follows a similar breach at Puzhal Prison on the outskirts of Chennai, underscoring a perceived security lapse across Tamil Nadu. In response, the state prison department suspended nine staff members and launched an inquiry into gross dereliction of duty.
Four men remain at large, presumed to be hiding in the Theni forest. Special checkposts have been erected at 16 points to block escape routes, while buses and other transit hubs are under surveillance. Police maintain that the search will continue until all fugitives are apprehended.
DMK chief MK Stalin condemned the state government, labeling the escape the "most daring jailbreak since 1995" and accusing the administration of incompetence. AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami echoed the sentiment, demanding accountability for the failures that allowed the breakout.