CHENNAI: Four remand prisoners, who allegedly sustained injuries in an assault by prison personnel following their escape from Theni District Prison, are to be medically examined by teams of government doctors on the directions of the Madras High Court.
Seventeen inmates escaped from the prison at Thekkampatti in Theni district on the night of October 26, allegedly after assaulting prison personnel. Of them, Meenakshi Sundaram, Thirupathi and two other injured remand prisoners, Solai Mugileswaran and Sabarinathan, surrendered before the police.
Subsequently, K. Arumugathammal of Madurai, mother of Meenakshi Sundaram and Thirupathi, filed a petition before the Madras High Court.
In her petition, she stated that police personnel attached to Chinthamani Police Station in Madurai had taken her sons from their residence on October 9, 2026, citing possible law and order issues ahead of Thevar Jayanthi. They were later allegedly falsely implicated in two criminal cases involving the robbery of Rs. 500 and possession of 300 grams of ganja, and remanded to Theni District Prison.
She further alleged that prison personnel assaulted all 17 remand prisoners who escaped, using lathis and kicking them with their boots while they were in the custody of the prison authorities.
Her son Meenakshi Sundaram sustained multiple injuries, including an injury to his toe that resulted in the loss of his toenail, torn skin and swelling. Her other son, Thirupathi, also sustained multiple injuries, particularly to his feet. The other prisoners, Solai Mugileswaran and Sabarinathan, too, sustained injuries in the alleged assault by prison warders.
The petitioner sought a direction to refer the four injured prisoners, who are presently lodged in different prisons, to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital for a complete medical examination and necessary treatment, including specialist care wherever required.
She also sought an independent judicial inquiry into the alleged custodial assault and ill-treatment by prison authorities.
The petition came up for hearing before a Division Bench of Justices A.D. Jagadish Chandira and B. Karthikeyan. The police informed the court that three of the prisoners were lodged in Salem Central Prison, while Thirupathi had been lodged in Palayamkottai Central Prison in Tirunelveli.
Following this, the Bench directed a team of three doctors from the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital, Salem, to visit the Central Prison, accompanied by the Chairman and Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), and examine prisoners K. Meenakshisundaram, N. Solai and P. Sabarinathan. The team was also directed to provide medical treatment if required.
The Court further directed a medical team from the Tirunelveli Government Medical College to visit Palayamkottai Central Prison, examine K. Thirupathi and provide treatment if required.
The Bench ordered the medical teams to examine the prisoners on Wednesday (November 4), provide necessary medical treatment and file a report before the court by November 6. The matter was posted to November 13.