Opposition Criticizes Tamil Nadu Government After Theni Prison Escape

Seventeen undertrial prisoners escaped from the Thekkampatti prison in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district, and police said four had been recaptured as searches continued on October 27. The escape, which officials said followed an assault on prison personnel, has prompted opposition parties to criticize the state government’s prison security and law enforcement. The prisoners escaped late Monday night, according to reports published Tuesday. Police said special teams were searching for those still missing. The reports did not establish a final number of fugitives or provide investigation findings on how the escape was carried out. One account said prisoners in a shared cell staged a medical emergency, then attacked guards who entered to help. That account said three officers were injured. A minister was quoted as saying a warden went to check on a prisoner who had reportedly fainted before the prisoners attacked. Authorities have not published investigation findings establishing whether security protocols were breached. The escape followed a separate incident at Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai, where two prisoners had escaped. Opposition leaders cited that incident in questioning...