2011 Soumya rape-murder accused, serving life imprisonment, escapes from jail
What's the story
Govindachamy, a life convict in the 2011 Soumya rape and murder case, has escaped from the high-security Kannur Central Jail in Kerala. The incident was discovered during a routine cell inspection early Friday. According to authorities, he used a woolen blanket and another blanket to climb and jump off the jail wall. He also hacked through the cell's iron bars. Jail officials initiated an urgent search operation within and around the prison grounds, but he was nowhere to be found.
Case background
Here's what happened
Soumya, a 23-year-old woman from Manjakkad near Shornur, was raped and murdered by Govindachamy while traveling alone on a passenger train from Ernakulam to Shoranur on February 1, 2011. Govindachamy had attempted to rob her on the train and brutally attacked her before throwing her out of the train. He then jumped off himself and raped her in nearby woods.
Twitter Post
Pic of the convict
Kannur: 2011 Soumya rape and murder accused Govindachamy escapes from Kannur Central Jail.
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2025
Govindachamy was serving a life sentence for the rape and murder of 23-year-old Soumya, who was attacked while travelling on a passenger train from Ernakulam to Shoranur on February 1,… https://t.co/ccjOfbU5FC pic.twitter.com/Gz3jTdNySr
Courts
Legal proceedings
In October 2011, a fast-track court in Thrissur found him guilty of both rape and murder and sentenced him to death. Although the Kerala High Court upheld the sentence, the Supreme Court commuted it to life imprisonment. The Supreme Court had ruled that the evidence to prove that the woman had been pushed off the train was inconclusive. Govindachamy has been imprisoned in Kannur Central Jail ever since.
Security concerns
BJP leader raises questions over prison security
Since the convict was held in a high-security single cell, BJP state president K Surendran has raised questions about how Govindachamy escaped. He alleged serious lapses in the system and wondered if the escape was staged. "The...criminal escaped at 1:00am," he said, adding that prison authorities discovered it at 5:00am and police were informed by 7:00am. Surendran also noted that CPI(M) leader P Jayarajan and local MLA from Thrikaripur are part of the prison advisory committee. A manhunt is underway.