Thiruvananthapuram, 25 July(HS): Govindasamy, the dreaded criminal sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering Sowmya, a sales girl in Thrissur, escaped from the high security prison in Kannur in the wee hours of Friday. The people of the State had heaved a sigh of relief when it was announced by the police that he was taken into custody from a Kannur suburb. The fact remains that Govindasamy had received outside as well as inside help for his mission to escape from the high-security prison.

Though the criminal broke jail and escaped to freedom around 01.15 AM, it came to the notice of the prison authorities only around 7 AM. Govindasamy, who had lost a part of his hand, could make a daredevil escape from a high-security prison, has shocked the police. The dog squad has been pressed into service, and a probe is on to trace the murderer.

Govindasamy was arrested in connection with the 2011 rape and murder of Sowmya, a Thrissur girl. She was pushed down from a train, and Govindasamy raped and strangulated her. Though the Fast Track Court awarded him the death penalty, which was ratified by the Kerala High Court , the Supreme Court came to his rescue and cancelled the death penalty with the claim that the prosecution had failed to prove that the murder was committed by him. However, the apex court did uphold the life term awarded to him.

A member of the beggars’ mafia based in Kochi, Govindasamy had the services of A B Aloor, a lawyer charging crores of rupees for each case. The Kerala Government could not find out the sources from which Govindasamy mobilised the funds to fight the case.

Hindusthan Samachar / Manohar Yadavatti