Kannur Central Jail is being run by convicts, including those involved in the TP murder case: VD Satheesan

Senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, VD Satheesan, on Friday alleged that Govindachami, the convict in the sensational Soumya rape and murder case, who escaped from the high-security block of Kannur Central Jail, received help from inside and outside the prison.

Speaking to media persons in Kochi on Friday, Satheesan said Govindachamy’s mysterious jailbreak leaves no room for doubt that he received help from both inside and outside the prison. He added that it is difficult to believe that a one-armed convict could have cut the window grille of the prison cell with his hand, tied a cloth to it, and scaled a 6-metre (20-foot) high jail wall.

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It is well known that the government’s most beloved people are housed in that jail, Satheesan remarked. “It was only this morning that we came to know that Govindachamy is also among the government’s beloved people,” he added.

“The prison authorities learned about Govindachamy’s escape at 5 a.m., while the police were informed only by 7 a.m. It was the vigilance of local residents that led to his capture. This is a shameful incident for the government,” said Satheesan.

“Was no one aware that an inmate in solitary confinement was cutting through the window grille? Where did he get such a long piece of cloth? It seems he was given a thick bedsheet specifically to ensure he wouldn’t be injured while jumping over the prison wall. It’s clear he received help from inside. It looks like the accused are the ones running the Kannur Central Jail.”

Satheesan further remarked: “The jail had all the equipment necessary to prevent such escapes. And yet, a man with no control over one arm managed to scale a six-metre-high wall — a miracle not even seen in a Tarzan movie. This escape wasn’t possible without internal support. The inmates are effectively in control of the prison.”

He further accused the government and prison authorities of providing all possible assistance to convicts, including those involved in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case.

“The convicts in the TP case are being granted parole frequently, and are allowed food of their choice. The prison menu is decided by these inmates. They can have easy access to liquor and drugs. They are actively involved in drug trafficking, hooliganism, and quotations from inside the prison. Kannur Central Jail has been effectively handed over to criminals. People like P Jayarajan were included in the prison advisory committee to protect their loved ones. They will go and check from time to time if there is any deficiency for them. These accused are controlling the criminal gangs while sitting in prison,” Satheesan said.

Meanwhile, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said he was not surprised by the jailbreak of notorious criminal Govindachamy, stating that the incident only reaffirms the complete failure of the Kerala Home Department under the Chief Minister.

“How the accused in one of Kerala’s most notorious cases managed to breach the high-security walls of the prison is a serious question,” Chandrasekhar said. “The real issue now is whether Govindachamy, who faces physical challenges, escaped on his own — or whether he was aided by someone from inside or outside the prison.”

Govindachamy, the convict in the sensational Soumya rape and murder case, escaped from the high-security block of Kannur Central Jail in the early hours of Friday. He was caught by the police around 10:30 a.m. the same day, while hiding in a well on an abandoned plot in Talap, Kannur.