How Did Convict Govindachamy Plan His Jailbreak? 4 Officials Suspended

Kannur, July 25 (NationPress) Following the apprehension of convict Govindachamy after his escape from Kannur Central Jail, a senior police official revealed that he had meticulously orchestrated this jailbreak for more than a month.

In response to this grave security breach, four officials from the high-security Kannur jail have been suspended.

Kerala Jail DGP Balramkumar Upadhaya announced that an investigation has commenced, with the immediate suspension of the four jail officials as the first step. Interestingly, this significant lapse occurred on the very day Upadhaya held a special meeting.

A senior officer from Kannur police indicated that initial reports suggest Govindachamy had been plotting this escape for about 20 days.

“We found several tools in his possession that he likely used for the escape. A comprehensive investigation will determine the full extent of the situation,” the officer stated.

Upon his capture, police conducted a medical examination before presenting him in a local court.

Criticizing the government for this security failure, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan labeled it a disgrace for the CM Vijayan administration.

“This jail resembles a free-for-all. Some inmates enjoy substantial privileges, receiving outside food and possessing the latest mobile phones. It’s unfathomable that a one-handed convict could scale such a formidable wall,” Satheesan remarked.

Govindachamy was discovered hiding in a well after fleeing the high-security Kannur prison around 1:15 a.m.

The police faced challenges retrieving him from the well, located on a property that was closed off and overgrown.

Angry residents assisting the police were seen confronting him.

Law enforcement received a tip about a man hiding at a closed residence near the jail, leading to his capture.

The arrest occurred around 10:30 a.m., approximately nine hours post-escape. A sniffer dog played a vital role, tracing a path of about 2 km from the jail to the arrest location.

Two individuals recognized Govindachamy, who is known for having only one hand, and alerted the authorities, who quickly apprehended him.

In an alarming lapse of security, Govindachamy managed to escape from the high-security Kannur prison at 1:15 a.m. on Friday. This oversight was noted by jail authorities around 5 a.m. and was reported to the Kannur police two hours later. Reports indicate that power was cut off during the jailbreak. By dawn, a makeshift rope made of clothing was discovered hanging from the more than 25-foot-high prison wall.

Residents were astonished by how a one-handed individual could scale the wall, which also featured an electric fence.

The Kannur jail is a high-security facility containing 68 cells, from which the convict successfully escaped.

Govindachamy is serving a life sentence for the rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman.

In December 2013, the Kerala High Court upheld the fast-track court's ruling that Govindachamy had robbed and pushed 23-year-old Soumya, a resident of Shoranur, off the Ernakulam-Shoranur passenger train on February 1, 2011. She was subsequently raped and viciously assaulted. The Railway Police discovered her near the tracks, but she succumbed to her injuries on February 6, 2011. At that time, Govindachamy had already been convicted in eight cases in his home state, Tamil Nadu.

The fast-track court sentenced him to death in 2012, citing his status as a habitual offender and the brutal nature of the crime as contributing factors to the victim's death. The High Court upheld this ruling two years later, after which he appealed to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court commuted his death sentence to a seven-year imprisonment in 2016 by dropping the murder charge but maintained the life sentence.

Soumya's mother expressed profound disappointment at the escape. “How could this occur in a high-security facility with CCTV protocols? It implies he received assistance, which is disheartening,” she stated.

Upon learning of his arrest, she broke down, questioning why he was still alive after taking her daughter's life. “I fail to comprehend why the apex court made this decision,” lamented Soumya’s mother.

Ashraf, the police officer who captured the notorious criminal in 2011, expressed his long-held concern that this habitual offender would find a way to escape.

Former state BJP president K. Surendran harshly criticized the government and police, stating that the escape was not a mere coincidence but rather facilitated.

“There is a significant conspiracy at play, as the one-handed Govindachamy was permitted to escape. The Kannur jail is overseen by a jail committee, which includes prominent CPI(M) leaders like P. Jayarajan.