Govindachamy, alias Charley Thomas, convicted in the horrific 2011 rape and murder of 23-year-old Soumya, escaped from Kannur Central Jail’s high-security block early Friday, triggering a statewide manhunt. The jailbreak, discovered during a 5 AM cell inspection, occurred between 4:15 AM and 6:30 AM, with CCTV footage showing Govindachamy scaling the prison wall using a rope made from knotted clothes after cutting his cell’s iron bars.

Kannur SP Nidhinraj P confirmed Govindachamy, a one-armed habitual offender from Virudhachalam, Tamil Nadu, was wearing a black shirt and pants and had a small beard. A Special Investigation Team, supported by the K-9 squad, is scouring Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, with railway stations and bus depots under scrutiny. Police have urged the public to report sightings to 9446899506.

Soumya’s mother, Sumathy, expressed shock, alleging internal collusion, stating, “He has only one arm; the wall is huge. Someone helped him.” She demanded his swift recapture, reflecting on her fight for justice that led to his life sentence after the Supreme Court commuted his death penalty in 2016.

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The 2011 attack on Soumya, a saleswoman assaulted on an Ernakulam-Shoranur train, sparked national outrage over women’s safety. Govindachamy’s escape has reignited these concerns, with BJP leader K. Surendran alleging deliberate security lapses, including a possible power cut to the electric fence.

Locals reported sightings in Kannur, but a later report claimed Govindachamy was nabbed, though police have not officially confirmed this. The escape has raised serious questions about Kerala’s prison security.

Also Read: Notorious Murder Convict Escapes Kannur Jail