CHENNAI: 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.
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.
The directives include the immediate suspension of the deputy jail superintendent (in-charge) N Ramalingam until further orders and a strategic reshuffle of top prison administrators across the state.
The incident occurred on the night of October 26, 2026, when 17 remand prisoners lodged in the sub-jail escaped after violently overpowering and assaulting the prison guards on duty. Alerted by the security breach, the Tamil Nadu Police launched a massive multi-agency combing operation, successfully tracking down and recapturing all 17 escapees within a short span before lodging them back in safe custody. They had effectively used drones to locate and apprehend eight convicts hiding among thickets away from the prison.
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.
Consequently, N Nageswaran, Deputy Jailor who had been holding additional charge of the Theni district sub-jail since August 6, 2024, has been placed under suspension effective October 30, 2026. The suspension order, issued under the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, cites his complete failure to maintain proper supervision, control, and vigil over both the inmates and the on-duty staff. It will remain in effect until further orders.
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.
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.