Govindachamy, the convict serving a life sentence for the brutal 2011 rape and murder of 23-year-old Soumya, escaped from the high-security Kannur Central Jail, police confirmed on Friday. The jailbreak was discovered during a routine cell inspection in the early hours, triggering an immediate response from authorities.

Jail officials launched a search operation within and around the prison premises but found no trace of the fugitive. Kannur Town Police, alerted at 7 am, have initiated a large-scale manhunt to recapture Govindachamy.

The 2011 Soumya murder case shocked India, sparking nationwide outrage and debates over women’s safety on public transport. Soumya, from Manjakkad near Shornur, was attacked while traveling alone on a passenger train from Ernakulam to Shornur on February 1, 2011. Govindachamy was convicted for the heinous crime.

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Authorities urge the public to report any information on the escapee’s whereabouts as the search intensifies.

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