Coimbatore prisoner who escaped custody twice questioned for second day

Chennai: A 25-year-old remand prisoner, who escaped from police custody twice within 24 hours before being arrested from the Sathyamangalam forest area in Erode district, was questioned by Coimbatore police for the second consecutive day on Tuesday.

The accused, Raghavan, also known as Kozikaran, is being interrogated by the Racecourse police to establish how he managed to evade security personnel and travel to the forest area after escaping from the premises of Coimbatore Central Prison.

Police sources said investigators were examining whether Raghavan received assistance from anyone during his escape and subsequent movements. His statement has been recorded, and further questioning is underway to reconstruct the sequence of events.

Raghavan was apprehended during a nighttime operation after a special police team located his hideout using drone surveillance.

Following his escape, six special teams were constituted to trace him. The search extended across Erode and the Nilgiris districts, besides neighbouring Karnataka and Kerala.

Acting on intelligence that he was hiding in the Sathyamangalam forest region, police intensified surveillance and deployed drone cameras to identify his location. The team surrounded the area and arrested him.

Raghavan, a resident of the Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation Centre at Bhavanisagar in Erode district, faces several criminal cases, including robbery and theft. The accused has a history of escaping from police custody.

In June 2026, he reportedly escaped while being transported to Bengaluru. Police arrested him on October 30, but he managed to escape from Annur police station that evening. However, officers immediately pursued and apprehended him.

Later that night, four police personnel, including a sub-inspector, escorted him to Coimbatore Central Prison for remand. While being taken into the prison premises, Raghavan allegedly assaulted the accompanying personnel and escaped once again, triggering a major security alert.

The incident prompted authorities to suspend all four escorting police personnel for alleged negligence. A separate case was also registered in connection with the escape.

Investigators are examining the circumstances that enabled the accused to repeatedly evade custody despite being under police escort. Police are expected to produce Raghavan before the jurisdictional court after completing the interrogation and make arrangements for his detention under enhanced security to prevent another escape.

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