Palaniswami questions prison security after Theni jail escape
Questions over prison security have intensified in Tamil Nadu after 17 undertrial prisoners escaped from the Thekkampatti jail in Theni district. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has used the incident to target the TVK government, saying it reflects deeper administrative failures.
The escape took place on Monday night, when prisoners attacked guards before breaking out. Police special teams have detained four of them, and efforts to find the rest are continuing.
In a statement posted on X, Palaniswami termed the incident shocking. He asked why the government had not reinforced security after two prisoners escaped earlier from Puzhal jail.
He contended that immediate reviews of security should have been conducted across every prison in Tamil Nadu following the Puzhal case. He accused the government and the concerned minister of failing to take adequate steps to stop such incidents from happening again.
Palaniswami named minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar, noting that the law, electricity and prisons departments fall under his charge. According to Palaniswami, all three departments are facing administrative breakdowns.
He cited alleged irregularities in the appointment of government lawyers and electricity procurement, as well as ongoing power cuts. Palaniswami said the prisons department had now become another department struggling with serious issues.
He further alleged that Nirmal Kumar spends more time publicly attacking the AIADMK than addressing the shortcomings within his own departments.
Turning to Chief Minister Vijay, Palaniswami questioned the impact of the Chief Minister's recent inspection of Puzhal jail. He asked how security could still be inadequate after the visit and whether the inspection had led to any worthwhile improvements.
The Leader of the Opposition said that the escape and the reported attack on jail warders raised serious public safety concerns. He wondered how citizens could feel secure outside if authorities could not maintain order within prison walls.
He also pointed to reported increases in killings and crimes against women, cases of missing children, and allegations that a ruling party functionary was involved in drug trade. Taking a sarcastic swipe at the government's publicity, he said these developments could be combined into a report on the government's first 150 days.
Palaniswami urged the government to recapture all escaped prisoners immediately and send them back to jail. He also called for a stronger security framework in prisons and focused attention on law and order throughout Tamil Nadu.