Chennai/Theni, Nov 2 (PTI) Fuel retail outlets operated by prison inmates across Tamil Nadu have been temporarily closed as a precautionary measure following a series of prisoner escape incidents, officials said on Monday.
Meanwhile, a viral video of a recaptured inmate alleging torture in a Theni jail has sparked a fresh controversy.
The closure of the petrol pumps comes in the wake of separate jailbreak incidents, including two prisoners escaping from the Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai, 17 from a facility in Theni, and one from Coimbatore. While police have apprehended the escaped prisoners from the Chennai and Theni facilities, search efforts continue for the Coimbatore escapee.
In a new development regarding the Theni incident, a video statement by recaptured prisoner Meenakshisundaram surfaced on social media.
A group of 17 inmates had escaped from the district jail located at Thekkampatti near Andipatti on October 26 by attacking guards, but were nabbed by the police within 36 hours. Meenakshisundaram, a native of Madurai, and his brother Tirupathi were reportedly shot at by police during the arrest operation.
In the video, Meenakshisundaram alleged that severe torture and poor quality of food inside the prison drove the inmates to escape. Appealing to the Chief Justice and the Chief Minister, he claimed his complaints to prison authorities yielded no action, prompting him to escape with the intention of surrendering directly in court.
He further alleged that the police had plotted to kill him in an encounter and claimed his brother had no connection to the incident. Expressing his desire to lead a reformed life with his pregnant wife, Meenakshisundaram claimed in the video that a total of 21 prisoners had escaped, contradicting the official figure of 17 and triggering a fresh dispute.
Following sharp criticism from opposition parties over the security breaches, the Tamil Nadu government has tightened surveillance across prisons and constituted an inquiry committee to probe the escapes and prevailing conditions within prison facilities.
As part of enhanced security protocols, 11 retail fuel stations manned by trained prisoners round the clock in coordination with the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) have been temporarily shut, said police sources.
These include two each at Puzhal, Coimbatore, and Madurai central prisons, and one each near the central prisons in Vellore, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, and Palayamkottai, the Tiruchirappalli special prison for women, and the Pudukkottai district jail. Two such outlets situated near the Puzhal Central Prison along Ambattur Road are among those closed.
Between 2019 and March 2026, these prison-run outlets had generated an estimated profit of Rs 55 crore for the state exchequer. Prison inmate-run bazaars have also been closed down. PTI JR ROH
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