A fake epileptic seizure allegedly triggered one of Tamil Nadu most striking jailbreakescapes, with 17 undertrials overpowering guards and fleeing through the main gate of Thekkampatti Sub-Jail. Police have tracked down 13 fugitives using drones and forest search teams, but four remain missing.
BY PC Bureau
October 27: A prison breakout triggered by a fake medical emergency has turned into a massive manhunt in Tamil Nadu, with police using drones and 17 special teams to track down fugitives through the dense forests and mountainous terrain of Theni district. Thirteen of the 17 undertrial prisoners who escaped from Thekkampatti Sub-Jail have been arrested, while four remain at large.
Drone footage shows the escapees running through thick jungle after apparently realising they had been spotted from the air. The search operation has involved aerial surveillance, road checks and intensive combing of forest areas.
South Zone Inspector General of Police Vijayendra Bidari said the police first sealed the possible escape routes before launching a systematic search.
“Considering the highly forested and mountainous terrain around the jail, the police initially sealed off all the exit routes with a strong cordon and initiated systematic combing operations. With daylight, three specialised drones were deployed along with 17 special teams to track the escaped prisoners,” he said.
Bidari added that drone footage helped the Tamil Nadu police cover large areas, pinpoint the fugitives’ locations and make arrests.
How the Tamil Nadu jailbreak unfolded
Preliminary accounts suggest the escape began when inmates in one block claimed that a prisoner was suffering an epileptic seizure. When a guard rushed in to check, the alleged medical emergency turned out to be a ruse.
The inmates then attacked the prison staff, overpowered guards at the entrance, seized the keys and forced open the main gate. The 17 undertrials walked out of the prison, setting off a large-scale search operation.
The prisoners were facing serious charges, including attempted murder and drug-related offences. Most are aged between 19 and 26 and hail from various districts of Tamil Nadu, including Madurai, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, Salem, Kanniyakumari and Theni.
The incident has also raised questions about security arrangements inside the prison. The Tamil Nadu Prisons Department has suspended nine staff members after an inquiry found them responsible for gross dereliction of duty.
Sandeep Rai Rathore, Director General of Police for Prisons and Correctional Services, travelled from Chennai to Madurai to investigate the incident. He told NDTV that there had been “a lack of and dereliction of duty”.
Four fugitives still at large
Tamil Nadu Police believe the remaining four escapees may still be hiding in the Theni forest region. Special teams are searching the difficult terrain, while checkpoints have been established at 16 locations. Police are also conducting additional checks at bus stands, with drones continuing to assist the operation.
Bidari said intensive combing operations were under way and expressed confidence that all the fugitives would eventually be apprehended.
The arrests have not, however, ended scrutiny of the prison administration, particularly because the Theni escape came just days after two prisoners reportedly escaped from Puzhal Prison on the outskirts of Chennai.
Jailbreak becomes political flashpoint in Tamil Nadu
The back-to-back prison escapes have given the Opposition fresh ammunition against the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government led by Chief Minister Vijay, who also heads the Home Department.
DMK president M.K. Stalin renewed his attack on the government, linking the jailbreak to his earlier description of the ruling party as a “Breaking Bad party”. On Saturday, Stalin had used the phrase after a TVK functionary was arrested in a major narcotics case.
Undertrial prisoners who escaped from a sub-jail in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district on the night of October 26 were tracked down using drones. Police used drone surveillance to locate the escapees in forest areas. Tamil Nadu Police shared details of the operation in a post on X. According to reports, not all the escapees have been arrested yet.
— Spot On (@Spotnews_media) October 27, 2026
On Tuesday, he accused the government of failing to maintain control over the state’s law-and-order machinery.
“Following Breaking Bad, a prison break has now begun in Tamil Nadu!” Stalin posted. He questioned the administration’s ability to monitor prisoners released on bail and said the latest incident showed that security failures had extended inside jails.
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Stalin described the escape as the most daring jailbreak since 1995 and argued that such a large-scale breach was unacceptable in 2026, when surveillance systems and security technology should be more advanced.
“Criminals on the outside commit offences with total freedom, while those on the inside boldly break out,” he said, calling the Vijay government “good for nothing”.
DMK leader T.K.S. Elangovan also questioned whether the escapees were supporters of Vijay or members of the TVK, sharpening the political attack on the ruling party.
AIADMK president Edappadi K. Palaniswami expressed shock over the incident and accused the government of failing to draw lessons from the earlier escape at Puzhal Prison.
“If prisoners can attack police personnel and escape from a prison, what security can ordinary people expect on the streets?” he asked, urging the government to give greater priority to law and order.
AIADMK MP R. Inbadurai termed the jailbreak a “shocking manifestation of administrative failure and sheer incompetence” and a “colossal security lapse”. He demanded accountability for the breach.
With four prisoners still missing, the immediate challenge for the police remains to complete the manhunt. Politically, however, the episode has widened the debate over prison security and the state government’s handling of law and order.
