Former Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK chief MK Stalin on Tuesday slammed the Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government over a jailbreak incident in Theni, where 17 prisoners escaped.
Stalin alleged lapses in prison security and law and order, saying the state had reached a situation where people were being forced to protect themselves, also referring the recent escape of two prisoners from Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai.
In a sarcastic post on X, Stalin invoked the television series ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Prison Break’ to criticise the government over the recent jailbreaks.
“Following Breaking Bad, Prison Break has now begun in Tamil Nadu too! I thought the government was only failing to monitor criminals released on bail. But the state of affairs is such that even prisoners inside jails are being allowed to escape,” Stalin said.
Criticising the TVK government, Stalin added, “Overall, the TVK government is a bunch of incompetent, good-for-nothing people. They are not going to protect the people. Tamil Nadu has reached a pathetic state where people have to protect themselves.”
Stalin said the escape of such a large number of prisoners at once was reportedly the first such incident since 1995. He questioned how it could happen in 2026 despite improvements in security arrangements and surveillance facilities.
"They say this is the first time since 1995 that so many prisoners have escaped at once. Such an incident in 2026, when security arrangements and surveillance facilities have improved, is unacceptable. Criminals outside are committing crimes freely, while prisoners inside are escaping fearlessly," he said.
How did the convicts escape?
Seventeen convicts serving various sentences escaped from a district jail in Tamil Nadu's Theni. This incident has prompted police to launch an extensive search operation. One of the escapees was apprehended near the prison, a police official said.
The prisoners allegedly staged a ruse by claiming that one of them was suffering from epilepsy before attacking prison personnel and escaping. Police received information about the jailbreak from prison authorities at around 11:20 pm on Monday, Inspector General of Police, South Zone, Vijayendra S Bidari, said.
Commenting on the incident, Tamil Nadu law minister CTR Nirmal Kumar said, “A prison warden went to check on a prisoner who had reportedly fainted; however, the prisoners attacked the wardens and managed to escape. Four have been caught; a search is on for others."
Meanwhile, police have intensified efforts to trace the remaining escapees, deploying drones and checking bus stands across the Kavi Vilakku area. Combing operations and vehicle checks are also underway across southern Tamil Nadu.