A 25-year-old man convicted in a ganja peddling case escaped from a special court in Madurai on Thursday, November 12, shortly after being sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment, adding to a series of prison and police custody escapes reported across Tamil Nadu in recent weeks, as reported in Rediff.
The convict, identified as Raja, hails from Thenmalai in the Sirumalai area of Dindigul district. He was arrested by anti-narcotics police in 2024 for selling ganja and was facing trial under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The case was heard before the I Additional Special Court for NDPS Act cases in Madurai. At the conclusion of the trial, Judge Sudhakar found Raja guilty and sentenced him to 10 years of imprisonment, along with a fine of ₹1 lakh.
However, shortly after the sentence was pronounced, Raja, who was seated inside the courtroom, allegedly managed to slip past the security personnel and escape from the court premises.
Upon realising that the convict was missing, police personnel alerted the authorities and launched a search operation. Police have intensified the manhunt across Madurai, particularly at major transport hubs, including the Mattuthavani, Anna and Arappalayam bus terminuses, to trace and apprehend him.
Third Escape Incident in a Matter of Weeks
The Madurai incident comes amid a series of security breaches involving prisons and police custody in Tamil Nadu.
On 26 October 2026, as many as 17 remand prisoners escaped from Thekkampatti Sub-Jail in Theni district after allegedly overpowering prison personnel.
According to reports, one of the inmates pretended to suffer an epileptic seizure, prompting prison staff to open the cell. The other inmates allegedly used the opportunity to attack the guards, overpower them, seize the keys and escape through the prison’s main entrance.
Police launched an extensive manhunt, using drones and deploying multiple special teams. All 17 escapees were eventually brought back into custody, with the last four being apprehended on October 28.
The incident resulted in the suspension of nine prison personnel over alleged security lapses. The government also transferred the Prisons Department chief and initiated a review of security arrangements across prisons in the State.
Barely days later, another escape was reported from Coimbatore.
On 31 October 2026, a 25-year-old remand prisoner identified as Raghavan, a native of Bhavani in Erode district, escaped from Coimbatore Central Prison while being taken through the prison’s admission process.
Raghavan had been arrested by Annur police in connection with a case and brought to the prison for remand. During the admission procedure, he allegedly pushed the personnel guarding him and fled from the premises.
Notably, this was reportedly his second escape within 24 hours. He had earlier escaped from Annur police station while in custody and was subsequently apprehended before being brought to the prison. Five special police teams were formed to trace him.
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