Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Saturday ordered the suspension of the deputy jail superintendent in charge of Thekkampatti sub-jail for dereliction of duty and initiated action against the prison personnel for security lapses leading to the major jailbreak on October 26.
Taking a serious view of negligence, security loopholes, and lack of vigilance that enabled the escape, Chief Minister Vijay directed the Prisons Department to initiate severe punitive measures. Further, in a bid to overhaul prison administration, reinforce accountability, and tighten security protocols, the government has ordered the immediate transfer of senior officials. R Krishnaraj, who was serving as the Superintendent of the Madurai Central Prison, has been transferred and posted as the Superintendent of the Salem Central Prison.
In a decisive response to the jailbreak in Theni district, in which 17 prisoners escaped after staging a fake medical emergency and overpowering prison guards but were later recaptured, Chief Minister Vijay has ordered stringent disciplinary actions against prison officials for dereliction of duty and security lapses.
Issuing a stern warning to the department, the Chief Minister emphasised that prison officials must execute their duties with absolute dedication, alertness, and unwavering alertness to ensure there are no gaps in prison security. He made it clear that the government will not tolerate complacency, and any official found guilty of lethargy, negligence, or laxity in the future will face the highest level of disciplinary action. Following the prison break, the state government has already transferred Director General of Police (Prisons) Sandeep Rai Rathore to TANGEDCO as CVO, appointing K Shankar as the new ADGP of Prisons and Correctional Services.
