Fifth prisoner arrested after Theni jail escape

A police head constable arrested a fifth prisoner who escaped from Thekkampatti sub-jail in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district, leaving 12 of the 17 escapees still at large, police said Tuesday. The prisoner, identified as Lingeswaran, was travelling in an autorickshaw when the head constable spotted the vehicle and recognized him, according to police accounts. The officer directed the driver to take Lingeswaran back to the prison. The driver said he had not known the passenger was an escapee until police stopped them. The arrest followed the escape late Monday from the sub-jail near Andipatti. Four prisoners had already been recaptured. Police identified them as Praveen Kumar, Silambarasan, Raja Sikandar and Rajkumar. Police accounts said inmates allegedly claimed that one prisoner was suffering an epileptic seizure to persuade staff to open their shared cell. When officers entered, the inmates allegedly attacked and overpowered them before fleeing. The exact sequence remains under investigation. Reports said three prison personnel were injured, including Thangapandi, who sustained a head injury. The escape prompted a search across the region, with vehicle checks intensified in...