Chennai: In an unprecedented incident, a female inmate successfully escaped from the high-security Puzhal Central Prison on Wednesday, marking the first such escape since the facility’s establishment in 2006. The escapee, identified as A Jayanthi (32) from Bengaluru, managed to flee during her assigned cleaning duties in the visitors’ room, accompanied by two wardens. Subsequently, both wardens have been suspended.
According to police reports, Jayanthi had been incarcerated for a series of thefts in 2021, and specialized teams have been mobilized to locate and apprehend her. Notably, this is only the second escape from Puzhal prison since 2017 when a life-term prisoner broke free to meet his nine-year-old daughter.
Thoraipakkam police had arrested Jayanthi in October, and she was subsequently sent to Puzhal prison. The escape occurred around 5 pm on Wednesday when the wardens discovered Jayanthi’s absence during the cleaning activity. Despite extensive search efforts spanning 4-5 hours, she could not be located within the prison complex.
A prisons department official stated, “Special teams have been formed to trace and arrest Jayanthi. The two wardens who accompanied her, Kanagalakshmi (grade I) and Kokila (grade II), have been placed under suspension.” The incident has raised concerns about the security protocols at Puzhal Central Prison, prompting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escape.
