Accused flees after unlocking handcuffs, hides in temple premises; held within hours

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An accused escaped from the jail after unlocking the handcuffs. The accused, who fled from the hands of the police was caught hours later from the premises of a nearby temple. Thajudeen (24) of Ramsankulam Veettuvilakam, arrested in a case of theft from an unoccupied house in Vizhinjam Township, escaped from the jail at 8.15 pm on Saturday.

His younger brother Najumuddin and his friend Hashim, who committed the theft along with Thajudeen, are in Neyyattinkara Jail after remanded. Thajudeen, the third accused in the case, was arrested by the Vizhinjam police last night. Vaisakh, an accused in the POCSO case and Thajudeen, accused in the theft case, were handcuffed together.

A woman named Nisha (24) of Tamil Nadu, accused in the case of extorting money by promising job abroad, was also brought to remand with them. They were taken for remand in a jeep. After taking the three accused to the magistrate's residence and completing the remand procedures, the SI and his team took the accused in a jeep and reached Neyyattinkara sub-jail. Then, when the accused were being taken out and taken to the jail, Thajudeen caught the hands of Vaisakh, an accused in the POCSO case, and after unlocking the handcuffs, he ran away from the jail.

Seeing the accused running, the police team ran after him but could not find him. They then informed the Neyyattinkara police and Vizhinjam SHO R Prakash. The entire police force of Vizhinjam station was summoned and a search was conducted in the nearby areas. Meanwhile, at 1:30 in the morning, the accused was arrested from the Veera Chakram Mahavishnu temple premises coming under the Travancore Devaswom Board, near the jail.