COIMBATORE: Two alleged Islamic State (IS) sympathisers lodged in Coimbatore Central Prison tried to escape from the facility after allegedly assaulting the jail warders on Friday morning.
The prisoners, identified as M Asif Mustaheen (32) from Manickampalayam in Erode and A Abdul Shameem (34) from Kalkulam in Kanniyakumari, have been booked under BNS of 296 (b), 115 (2), 262, 121 (1) and 351 (3) by the Race Course police following a complaint filed by the jailer of Coimbatore central prison, P Manoranjitham.
Sources said Mustaheen had approached prison warders around 6.50 am seeking their help to meet another warder who handles prisoner cash property (PCP).
When the warders were making arrangements for the meeting, Mustaheen allegedly walked out of the 10th block, where he was lodged, and moved towards the main gate. In the meantime, Shameem, lodged in 11th block, also came out of the facility and tried to escape through the main gate. Both the prisoners also had assaulted the warders who tried to stop them.
Mustaheen has been languishing in the prison since July 2022 after NIA arrested him for allegedly supporting IS. Shameem was involved in the killing of a sub inspector of police on January 8, 2020, along Thowfiq, 27, from Kanyakumari district.