Chennai: Opposition parties on Tuesday slammed TVK govt for the escape of 17 prisoners from Theni sub-jail, accusing Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of failing to maintain law and order.DMK president M K Stalin said the Theni jailbreak was the biggest such incident since 1995 and called the escape was a result of govt’s “incompetence.” “Before we could recover from the shock of two prisoners escaping from Puzhal prison, 17 inmates have escaped from the district jail in Theni. Such an incident in 2026, when security arrangements and surveillance systems have improved, is unacceptable,” he said in an X post.Stalin who earlier called TVK as ‘breaking bad party’ after the arrest of a TVK functionary for drug smuggling, now said “Prison break has begun in Tamil Nadu after Breaking Bad” referring to US television series.He alleged that criminals outside were committing offences freely, while prisoners inside jails are escaping without fear. “The good for nothing TVK govt is not going to protect the people. People have to safeguard themselves,” he said.DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin called Vijay a “dummy CM”, alleging that prisoners were escaping from jails while children were going missing. He termed the incidents evidence of lawlessness under the TVK govt.AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami questioned the outcome of Vijay’s recent inspection of Puzhal Central Prison. He also took a swipe at the CM’s alleged superstitious beliefs, asking whether the inspection had been conducted on the advice of an astrologer.Linking the jailbreak to the reported rise in crimes against women and missing-child cases, Palaniswami questioned how the govt could ensure public safety.PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said the incident was “dangerous sign of prison administration’s failure.” “I urge the govt to investigate whether there was any conspiracy behind the escape. Action must also be taken against prison officials whose negligence led to this incident,” he said.AMMK general secretary T T V Dhinakaran also condemned the jailbreak and criticised the TVK govt over its handling of law and order.
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