Chennai, Oct 30:
The Tamil Nadu government will strengthen prison security and introduce administrative reforms to prevent further escape incidents, Electricity Resources and Law Minister R Nirmalkumar said on Thursday, following the recent jailbreak at Theni District Jail and security concerns at Puzhal prison.
Responding to questions about the incidents, the Minister said scanning machines were not functioning in 11 central prisons across the State. He assured that the government would take steps to address shortcomings in prison security and modernise monitoring systems.
The government has approved the purchase of advanced surveillance cameras equipped with artificial intelligence to monitor prison premises, he said. The move is intended to improve surveillance and help officials identify security breaches.
Nirmalkumar also announced plans to introduce an online pass system for prison visitors and provide video-conferencing facilities in all prisons for court appearances within two months. The system is expected to streamline visitor management and reduce the need to transport prisoners to courts for proceedings that can be conducted remotely.
The Minister said the Prison Department would address staff vacancies and expedite promotions. Strengthening personnel availability and improving administrative efficiency would form part of the broader effort to prevent security lapses.
The announcement follows the escape of 17 inmates from Theni District Jail on October 26. The prisoners escaped after attacking prison staff, triggering a major search operation. All 17 inmates were subsequently brought back into custody.
The incident exposed weaknesses in prison security procedures and led to renewed scrutiny of surveillance, staffing and emergency-response arrangements. The head of Prison and Correctional Services, DGP Sandeep Rai Rathore, was transferred on Thursday, and ADGP K Shankar was posted in his place.
The government has also faced questions over the security arrangements at Puzhal prison following reports of escape-related incidents and concerns about the functioning of monitoring equipment.
Apart from prison security, Nirmalkumar said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had instructed ministers to ensure that government welfare schemes were implemented effectively and that public grievances raised at the district level were addressed promptly.
The Minister also commented on the corruption case against former School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, alleging that more than Rs 400 crore had been collected from schools, including missionary-run institutions, in connection with the issue of certificates. He said the government would take action wherever sufficient evidence of wrongdoing was available and denied that the action was motivated by political revenge.
On the cases involving former minister KN Nehru, Nirmalkumar said the inquiry had been expedited after the High Court vacated a stay order.
The government now faces the task of translating its prison reform announcements into effective safeguards, particularly in the wake of the Theni escape, which has raised questions about the enforcement of existing procedures and the adequacy of security infrastructure.