Kannur, Kerala: Govindachamy, the notorious convict in the sensational Soumya rape and murder case, has reportedly escaped from the high-security Kannur Central Jail in Kerala, triggering a massive manhunt across the state and raising serious questions about prison security protocols. The escape, which is understood to have occurred in the early hours of Friday, was discovered during a routine cell inspection by jail authorities.

Details surrounding the audacious escape remain scarce, but initial reports from Malayalam media indicate that Govindachamy was found missing from his cell when prison officials conducted their morning check. Given the gravity of his crimes and his high-risk prisoner status, sources suggest that he was held in a highly secure, monitored cell, making his disappearance even more perplexing. Senior police officials, including the Assistant Commissioner of Police, have rushed to the jail to assess the situation and coordinate the search efforts.

Govindachamy was serving a life sentence for the brutal rape and murder of 23-year-old Soumya, a case that had gripped the nation with its horrific details. In 2011, Soumya, a passenger on a moving train, was pushed out, sexually assaulted, and left for dead. The trial court had initially awarded the death penalty to Govindachamy, a decision later commuted to life imprisonment for rape by the Supreme Court of India, while acquitting him of the murder charge. His conviction for rape, however, remained, and he has been incarcerated at Kannur Central Jail since.

The escape of such a high-profile and dangerous criminal has sent shockwaves through Kerala and the wider Indian public. Concerns are mounting over the potential threat he poses to public safety and the alarming lapse in security at one of the state’s most fortified correctional facilities. The incident immediately prompted a widespread alert, with law enforcement agencies across Kerala and neighbouring states put on high alert. Checkpoints have been established, and intensive searches are underway in and around Kannur, including railway stations and bus terminals, as authorities race against time to apprehend the fugitive.

Authorities have launched an immediate internal inquiry into how Govindachamy managed to evade constant surveillance and escape from a supposedly secure cell.