Armed guards will be deployed at all central and district jails in Tamil Nadu from Wednesday, following the escape of 17 prisoners from Theni district jail. Sandeep Rai Rathore, Director General of Police (DGP), Prisons and Correctional Services, gave the information.
The deployment is part of a major change in security arrangements, announced after the jailbreak on Monday night. The incident exposed a lapse in handling a medical emergency. Prison officials are now reviewing security arrangements and preparing a new standard operating procedure (SOP).
Watchtower Guards to Be Armed and Told to Shoot at Sight, Says DGP
Rathore said armed personnel will be posted on watchtowers. They will be instructed to shoot at sight anyone trying to escape. So far, guards posted on watchtowers in most of the state's prisons do not carry weapons.
The department will also ensure that alarm systems work properly in all prisons. Additional security measures will be taken after the security audit is completed and the new operating procedure is put in place.
Procedure for Securing Gates Not Followed
Acknowledging the security lapse at Theni jail, Rathore said the prison staff had acted in good faith on receiving a report that a prisoner's health had deteriorated. However, the prescribed procedure for securing the gates was not followed. The staff opened three gates and rushed inside on hearing of the health problem. They did not lock the gates from inside, leaving the route unsecured.
An officer described the failure to secure the gates as a major violation of protocol. The prisoners took advantage of the moment, attacked the guards and escaped. The way the emergency alert was handled and the failure to lock the gates again have been placed at the centre of the security lapse. The staff believed they were responding to a genuine health problem, but the gates remained unsecured during their intervention.
The measures announced by the department include armed surveillance and alarm readiness in all central and district jails. Armed deployment on watchtowers will differ from the current arrangement, under which guards in most jails are on duty without guns. It will begin on Wednesday, while other changes will depend on the outcome of the security audit and the revised procedures. Rathore said additional measures will be implemented after both stages of the review are completed.