Coimbatore prisoner arrested after dual escapes

Raghavan, a 25-year-old remand prisoner, has been arrested in the Sathyamangalam forest area of Erode district following two escapes from police custody within a 24-hour period. The fugitive was apprehended during a nighttime operation after specialized police teams used thermal-imaging drone surveillance to locate his hideout in the dense forest.

The incident began after Raghavan was arrested on October 30. He allegedly escaped from the Annur police station that same evening, though he was quickly recaptured. Later that night, while being escorted to Coimbatore Central Prison, he reportedly assaulted accompanying personnel and escaped a second time while entering the prison premises.

Following a multi-agency manhunt that extended across the Nilgiris, Erode, and parts of Karnataka and Kerala, investigators have begun questioning Raghavan to determine if he received external assistance during his flight. He faces charges related to the escape and the assault on officers. He is expected to be produced before a judicial magistrate and placed in high-security confinement.