Govindachamy, the convict serving a life sentence for the 2011 rape and murder of 23-year-old Soumya, was recaptured by Kerala Police hours after his dramatic escape from Kannur Central Jail on Friday morning.

The one-armed fugitive, who fled between 4:15 AM and 6:30 AM by cutting cell bars and scaling a 25-foot wall with a makeshift rope, was found hiding in a well near a derelict building in Thalap, Kannur, around 10:40 AM, police confirmed.

The escape, discovered during a 5 AM cell check, sparked a massive manhunt across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, with the K-9 squad deployed and CCTV footage reviewed.

Soumya’s mother, Sumathy, alleged possible collusion, noting the high-security jail’s lapses. The 2011 case, where Govindachamy attacked Soumya on an Ernakulam-Shoranur train, had ignited national outrage over women’s safety.

Also Read: #JUST IN: Notorious Soumya Murder Convict Escapes Kerala Jail