Following the escape of Govindachami, a convict in the sensational Soumya rape and murder case, from the Kannur Central Jail, four prison officers have been suspended for their alleged lapses.
The suspended officials are Assistant Jail Superintendent Rejo, Deputy Prison Officer Rejish, and Assistant Prison Officers Sanjay and Farith. The action was taken following a preliminary inquiry conducted by the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons (North Zone), which found lapses on the part of the officers on duty.
Jail chief ADGP Balram Kumar Upadhyay acknowledged that the escape was the result of careful planning by Govindachami and admitted that there were shortcomings on the part of the officials. He said at this stage, no single individual can be solely blamed. Upadhyay expressed relief that Govindachami was recaptured swiftly.
The Kannur Range DIG has been assigned with the task of carrying out a thorough investigation into the incident. According to Upadhyay, there was a delay in receiving information about the escape. Immediately after realizing the absence, a search was conducted inside the jail. The prompt recapture of the fugitive has been a significant relief, he said.
Govindachami, who was alone in a high-security cell, managed to escape from the high-security block of the jail at around 10.30 am on Friday, cutting through the iron bars of the cell and used clothes from wash area to tie together as a rope to climb down from the prison wall.
A native of Karur in Tamil Nadu, he attacked Somya in the women’s compartment of a train going from Ernakulam to Shoranur on February 1, 2011. The police found that Govindachami had thrown Soumya out of the train and brutally raped her .Soumya, who was seriously injured in the attack and rape died on February 6 at Thrissur medical College hospital
Govindachami, a handicap (he has only one arm) habitual offender from Karur in Tamil Nadu, was already facing several theft cases in Salem area when the Kerala police arrested him in February 2011
In November 2011, the Thrissur Fast Track court found Govindachami guilty in the rape and murder and awarded him death sentence. Later, the Kerala High court upheld the lower court verdict.In September 2016, the Supreme Court exonerated him of murder charges and cancelled death sentence and upheld the life sentence