Thiruvananthapuram, July 26 (IANS) A day after the shocking escape of a dreaded criminal from the high-security Kannur Central Prison, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday announced a two-member panel to probe the lapse that has triggered massive criticism.

At a high-level meeting of top police officials held here, Vijayan said Justice (rtd) C.N. Ramachandran Nair and former State Police chief Jacob Punnoose will head the panel to probe the case. The committee has been asked to submit its report in three months.

Meanwhile, top Congress and BJP leaders have lashed out at Vijayan for the jailbreak, accusing him of failing to manage the Home Department. They have also alleged that the jails in the state are run by the mafia.

At the meeting, Vijayan said the government is considering the need for a new state-of-the-art jail as existing facilities are overflowing. Authorities have started scouting for suitable land in Kottayam or Pathanamthitta.

Other decisions include installing electric fencing at four main jails, upgrading existing surveillance CCTV cameras, and exploring the possibility of shifting dreaded criminals to neighboring states.

Kerala on Friday woke up to the shocking news that Govindachamy, a notorious criminal, escaped from the high-security Kannur Prison at around 1.15 a.m. The jailbreak went unnoticed for four hours, and the matter was reported to the police after two hours.

Reports suggest that power was switched off at the time of the jailbreak.

According to reports, a long rope made of clothes was seen hanging from the jail compound wall, which is more than 25 feet high. Govindachamy’s “escape” ended at around 10.30 a.m. when he was located hiding in a well about 4 km away from the prison.

On Saturday morning, he was shifted from Kannur to the high-security Viyyur Jail in Thrissur.

–IANS

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