Govindachamy shifted to Viyyur central jail amid heavy security

Kannur: Govindachamy, the notorious convict serving a life sentence in the 2011 Soumya murder case, was shifted to the Viyyur Central Jail in Thrissur district on Saturday, a day after he escaped from Kannur Central Jail and was apprehended within hours.

The transfer order for Govindachamy, also known as Govindaswamy (41), who is differently-abled and missing his left hand, was issued late on Friday night. However, authorities decided to move him early Saturday morning under heavy police security.

The escape occurred between 4.15 am and 6.30 am on Friday, and he was recaptured from within the Kannur city limits by around 9.30 am. Following his capture, a fresh case was registered against him for the jailbreak. He was produced before a judicial magistrate and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.

In the wake of the incident, three officers from the Kannur Central Jail were suspended with immediate effect amid serious allegations that the convict may have received inside help to facilitate his escape.

The opposition Congress lashed out at the state government over the jailbreak, calling it an example of administrative failure. Accusing the government of gross incompetence, the party alleged that Govindachamy’s escape was enabled with internal support and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.

Govindachamy was convicted for the brutal rape and murder of 23-year-old Soumya, a woman from Manjakkad near Shornur. The incident occurred on February 1, 2011, when she was travelling on a passenger train from Ernakulam to Shornur.

With PTI inputs