CHENNAI: In a major security lapse, two inmates have escaped from the high-security Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai in consecutive days, triggering a massive search operation. 

According to prison sources, a Nepali undertrial prisoner identified as Sujith Buhari (21) went missing from the remand prison block on Tuesday.

He was an inmate in the prison for the past two months. Police sources said that his family had migrated to Chennai and was living here. Sujith was working at a hardware store and allegedly stole from his employer which led to his arrest. 

Prison warders noticed his absence during the evening muster. Despite a thorough combing operation across the entire prison campus, he could not be traced. 

According to prison sources, inmates are allowed out of their cells at 6 am and allowed to loiter within designated areas. Sujith was sweeping the block with other prisoners when he sought permission from the prison official to visit the hospital and then managed to escape. Police suspect him to have scaled the wall but prison sources say it is unlikely and are enquiring other inmates to find out if he had planned the escape or had any discussions with them. 

In a second incident, a convict identified as Suresh went missing on Tuesday morning. Suresh was lodged in the convict prison and was serving a sentence in a POCSO case. He had been assigned to work at the prison-run petrol bunk and is believed to have escaped while he was outside for duty. He was attending to customers when he allegedly slipped away amid the crowd. 

Prison authorities filed complaints with Puzhal police on Wednesday regarding both incidents. Over a dozen special teams have been formed to trace the escaped prisoners.

Police teams have begun reaching out to the family members and known associates of the escaped prisoners to get leads about their getaway plans. They said that all checkposts, bus termini and exit points in and around Puzhal and north Chennai are being monitored.