Kannur Central Jail officials are under prisoners' control: Sunny Joseph

KANNUR: KPCC President Sunny Joseph has demanded an investigation into whether Govindachamy received inside help to escape from prison. He alleged that officials at Kannur Central Jail are under the control of CPM-linked criminal inmates and that Govindachamy’s jailbreak exposes a serious failure on the part of the prison department.

"Kannur Jail functions as a stronghold for CPM prisoners, who enjoy numerous privileges. Even hardened criminals like Govindachamy have been able to take advantage of these facilities. Prison staff face threats from inmates, which results in undue freedom being given to them instead of enforcing strict control. No proper discipline is maintained inside the jail," Sunny Joseph said.

"The escape of Govindachamy is a clear example of this grave security lapse, and the prison department must take responsibility. Strict action should be taken against the officers responsible, and an investigation must be conducted into whether the inmate received assistance from inside the prison to carry out the escape," he said.

“Govindachamy was caught only because of the timely intervention of locals. Authorities must stay vigilant to ensure such security lapses do not happen again. The government and the Home Department have maintained a ‘criminal silence’ whenever the opposition raised concerns about failures in the prison system. These lapses are effectively aiding the prisoners inside,” Sunny Joseph added