Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has constituted a high-level committee headed by former Director General of Police (DGP) J.K. Tripathy to recommend measures to strengthen security in prisons across the State.
The Committee
A State government press release on Monday (November 2, 2026) said the Chief Minister, who reviewed prison security following the escape of 17 inmates from Theni prison, had ordered the formation of the committee to examine the reasons for the escape, suggest ways to improve security measures, and study practices followed in other States and countries to prevent similar incidents.
The other members of the committee are K. Shankar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Prisons and Correctional Services, and S. Rajendran, Deputy Inspector General of Prisons.
The Mandate
Besides inquiring into the security lapses that led to the escape, the committee will examine:
- Security infrastructure
- Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Technological gaps
- Manpower deployment in prisons across Tamil Nadu
It will submit its recommendations to the government.
Warning to Officials
Urging officials to strengthen security measures, the Chief Minister warned that stringent action would be taken against those found guilty of dereliction of duty.
