Theni, Nov 2:
A video recorded by one of the 17 prisoners who escaped from the Theni sub-jail has surfaced, with the inmate alleging ill-treatment and poor facilities inside the prison and appealing to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and a judge for protection. All 17 prisoners who escaped on October 26 have since been traced and brought back into custody.
The video was reportedly recorded by Meenakshi Sundaram, one of the two brothers who remained at large after the escape. He and his younger brother Tirupathi later surrendered at the Gudalur police station. The video, recorded before their surrender, has now circulated widely on social media.
In the video, Meenakshi Sundaram claimed that the prisoners had not escaped with the intention of creating trouble but wanted to bring alleged problems inside the prison to the attention of a judge before surrendering. He alleged that inmates were subjected to torture and that complaints made to the authorities and raised in court had not resulted in action.
He also complained about the quality of food and other facilities, claiming that prisoners were not allowed to meet people who came to see them with petitions. According to him, inmates who questioned the conditions were threatened with punishment. He alleged that their complaints to prison personnel and the superintendent were dismissed.
Claiming that he feared for his life if he remained in prison, Meenakshi Sundaram appealed to the Chief Minister and a judge to intervene. He said he had recently married and that his wife was pregnant, and pleaded that his actions should not endanger his family. He also denied that his younger brother was involved in the alleged wrongdoing and asked authorities to examine the prison’s CCTV footage to establish what had happened.
The prisoner admitted that the inmates had acted together in escaping but alleged that he and his brother were being singled out. His claims have not been independently established and are yet to be examined by the authorities.
The escape of 17 inmates from the Thekkampatti sub-jail had raised serious questions about prison security. The incident also led to administrative changes, including the transfer of Sandeep Rai Rathore from the post of Director-General of Prisons. Police had earlier said that personal reasons, including a family function, were among the factors behind the escape. Five of the escapees have reportedly been detained under the Goondas Act.