Kannur: The two-member panel appointed by the Kerala government to study the security situation in prisons after the sensational jailbreak of rape and murder convict Govindachamy on July 25, visited the Kannur Central Prison on Tuesday and conducted a detailed inspection. 

The committee, comprising retired High Court Justice CN Ramachandran Nair and former state police chief Jacob Punnoose, interacted with prison officials and assessed the circumstances surrounding Govindachamy’s escape. Justice Nair told the media that the team would examine the lapses that enabled the jailbreak and suggest corrective measures.

“We will be identifying the shortcomings in the Kannur jail and will suggest corrective measures to the government. Currently, the state prisons are nearly 40% above capacity. New prisons are needed. Prisoners should not be granted undue liberties,” Justice Nair said.

He also raised doubts over the weapon allegedly used in the escape. “No matter how hard you try, such a strong wire cannot be cut with a small tool. Both ends of the four wires were cut with great skill. Why did the officials not notice that it took so many days to cut those wires? The officials made a mistake,” he observed, pointing to serious lapses in surveillance.

The panel noted that the Kannur prison, being one of the oldest in the state, has damaged walls and requires major reforms. The team also held a meeting of top prison officials before concluding its two-day inspection.

Though Govindachamy was captured within hours of the jailbreak, the incident exposed major gaps in prison security. Alongside the committee’s probe, a police investigation and a departmental inquiry are also underway. The panel, established at the instruction of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, will submit its report after visiting other jails across Kerala.