Life convict escapes from Salem Central jail

They said Lakshmanan was sent to work in the garden on jail premises this afternoon by prison authorities when he escaped by scaling the compound wall.

Police said Lakshmanan (38) had been lodged in Vellore central jail in 2016 and was shifted from there to Salem Central Jail in February this year as he was reportedly involved in an abduction and murder case at a village in Salem district.

Based on a complaint from jail authorities, police are carrying out a search to trace Lakshmanan.