Govindachamy caught hiding in well after jailbreak, public tip-off led to his arrest: Kannur Police Commissioner

Kannur: City Police Commissioner Nidhinraj IPS thanked the media and the public for remaining vigilant and helping trace rape-murder convict Govindachamy, who had escaped from Kannur Central Prison. Confirming the arrest of the notorious criminal, he told the media that the Tamil Nadu native was found hiding inside a well on the premises of an abandoned building in Thalappu, Kannur.

“Kannur Town Police received information about the jailbreak around 6:30 this morning. The information was immediately passed on to all police stations in the state and in neighbouring states. The media promptly published the information and alerted the public. This public vigilance helped us trace the fugitive. Three individuals who spotted Govindachamy provided very crucial information to the police. I want to thank the media and the public for their cooperation,” said the Commissioner.

He added that Kannur Town Police, DANSAF, and the dog squad were involved in the search operation at Thalappu. He confirmed that the police apprehended Govindachamy within three and a half hours of the jailbreak.

Meanwhile, Rigil Mankutty, a local resident who was part of the search team, told Manorama News that Govindachamy was found hiding inside a well on the premises of a former youth centre building. It was M Unnikrishnan, a security personnel at the National Statistical Office, who found Govindachamy hiding in the well.

"Initially, while we were checking the area around the well, news showed that Govindachamy had been apprehended. Following this, we left the spot. However, after a short while, when news came out that he hadn't been found, we returned to the spot and searched the well again. That's when Govindachamy surfaced from the well water. He must have submerged himself in the water upon hearing people approach. We saw him when he surfaced from the water after running out of breath. Govindachamy was standing on a step of the well, holding onto a rope. The moment he saw us, he said, 'If you utter a word, I will stab you to death.' At this, we raised an alarm. By then, people and the police had rushed to the spot. Then, he was pulled up using a rope," Unnikrishnan told Manorama Online.

Govindachamy(41), was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman. He escaped from prison in the early hours of Friday.

The handicapped habitual offender from Virudhachalam in Tamil Nadu was already facing several theft and mugging charges in and around Salem when Kerala Police arrested him for the rape and murder of the 23-year-old woman in February 2011.

He had pushed the woman, who worked at a private firm in Kochi, out of the Ernakulam–Shoranur passenger train in a robbery attempt, after which he raped her. The woman died on February 6. In November 2011, the Thrissur Fast Track Court found him guilty and awarded him the death sentence. Later, the High Court upheld the sentence. However, in September 2016, the Supreme Court exonerated him of the murder charges, cancelled the death sentence, and upheld a life sentence. The Supreme Court noted in its judgment that there was no cogent evidence to prove the murder charges against him.