Sat Jul 26 10:30:56 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the article and a rewritten news report based on it:
**Summary:**
Govindachamy, convicted of rape and murder in 2011, escaped from a high-security prison in Kannur but was quickly recaptured. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the jailbreak, led by a former High Court Judge and former State police chief. The inquiry aims to identify failures and implement corrective measures. The government plans to enhance security in major jails with electric fencing, intelligent CCTV, transfers of long-serving staff, strengthened intelligence, and inter-state transfers of high-risk inmates. The government will improve video conferencing, prisoner facilities, and plan a new central jail to address overcrowding.
**News Article:**
**Convicted Rapist’s Jailbreak Prompts High-Level Inquiry and Security Overhaul in Kerala Prisons**
**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, July 26, 2025** – A major security breach at the Kannur Central Prison has sparked a swift response from the Kerala government. Govindachamy, a man convicted in 2011 for the rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman, escaped from the high-security facility early Friday morning but was apprehended within hours.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the incident, led by former Kerala High Court Judge Justice (Retd.) C.N. Ramachandran Nair and former State police chief Jacob Punnoose. The inquiry aims to determine how Govindachamy managed to escape and to identify systemic failures that contributed to the breach.
“The incident in Kannur Central Jail is extremely serious and warrants a detailed investigation to take corrective action,” stated the Chief Minister after a high-level meeting convened to address the situation.
In the wake of the jailbreak, the Kerala government is implementing several measures to bolster security in its major prisons. These include:
* Making electric fencing fully operational within the next three months.
* Installing intelligent CCTV systems capable of capturing detailed footage.
* Transferring jail staff who have served five or more years in a single location.
* Strengthening intelligence gathering activities within the prisons.
* Considering inter-State transfers for high-risk inmates.
* Improving the video conferencing system for inmates.
In addition to these security enhancements, the government plans to address overcrowding in Kerala’s prisons. A new central jail is being planned, with efforts underway to secure land in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta for its construction.
The Chief Minister has directed officials to expedite the ongoing investigations. The high-level meeting included Chief Secretary Dr. A. Jayathilak, State Police Chief Ravada A. Chandrasekhar, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Bishwanath Sinha, and other key officials.
The government aims to complete the inquiry and implement the security upgrades swiftly to prevent similar incidents in the future.
First Piper 