CHENNAI: In the wake of the escape of 17 prisoners from Theni district jail, the Tamil Nadu government has formed a three-member high-level committee to investigate security lapses and recommend measures to strengthen prison security across the state.
The committee has been constituted on the directions of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. It will be chaired by retired IPS officer and former Tamil Nadu Director General of Police J.K. Tripathy, who served as the DGP of Prisons between 2007 and 2010.
The other members are K. Shankar, Additional Director General of Police and Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, and S. Rajendran, a former Deputy Inspector General of Prisons.
According to the state government’s announcement, the panel will conduct a detailed assessment of the existing security infrastructure in prisons. It will examine standard operating procedures (SOPs), identify technological shortcomings and review the deployment of prison personnel.
The committee will also investigate the security failures that led to the recent jailbreak and suggest measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. As part of its assessment, it will study prison security practices adopted in other states as well as in foreign countries.
The panel has been directed to submit its recommendations to the state government at the earliest. Its findings are expected to help the government identify weaknesses in the existing prison security system and introduce comprehensive reforms.
Chief Minister Vijay has instructed the Prison Department to strengthen security measures on a war footing. He has also made it clear that accountability will be fixed wherever negligence in duty is established.
The committee’s formation comes after 17 prisoners escaped from Theni district jail, raising serious concerns about security arrangements and prison administration in Tamil Nadu. The government is now seeking a comprehensive review of the system to prevent such incidents from recurring.
