Govindachamy jailbreak case transferred to State Crime Branch

The Kerala Police have handed the investigation into the escape of rape and murder convict Govindachamy from Kannur Central Prison to the State Crime Branch.

The decision was reportedly made on a directive from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who called for a detailed probe into the incident.

The probe is presently being handled by a special investigation team led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kannur. However, the grave security lapses prompted the State Police Chief to transfer the case to the Crime Branch.

An initial inquiry by the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons (North Zone), while flagging various lapses, found no evidence of assistance from either prison staff or other inmates in the jailbreak. Four prison officers were suspended following the incident.