Soumya Murder Case Back In Limelight After Convict Escapes From Kerala Prison, Arrested
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Soumya Murder Case Back In Limelight After Convict Escapes From Kerala Prison, Arrested
Soumya Murder Case Back In Limelight After Convict Escapes From Kerala Prison, Arrested. Govindachamy, also known as Charley Thomas, a convict in the 2011 Soumya murder case, attempted to escape from Kannur Central Jail. The one-armed prisoner, serving a life sentence, went missing from the high-security facility in the early hours of Friday. Authorities were alerted during a routine cell inspection, prompting an immediate large-scale search operation. The missing convict was located within a few hours inKannur, and tried to hide in a well but was caught and taken back into custody. The attempted escape has sparked concerns about security lapses in one of Kerala’s most secure prisons. The crime occurred on February 1, 2011, when a 23-year-old sales assistant was travelling alone in the ladies’ compartment of a train from Ernakulam to Shoranur.
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News18.com
Last Updated: July 25, 2025, 19:50 IST
Govindachamy, convicted in the 2011 Soumya murder case, tried to escape from Kannur Central Jail but was caught within hours, raising concerns about Kerala prison security.
Govindachamy, a convict in the Soumya murder case. (ANI)
Govindachamy, also known as Charley Thomas, a convict in the 2011 Soumya murder case, attempted to escape from Kannur Central Jail, bringing renewed attention to the heinous crime. The one-armed prisoner, serving a life sentence, went missing from the high-security facility in the early hours of Friday.
According to news ANI, authorities were alerted during a routine cell inspection, prompting an immediate large-scale search operation.
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The missing convict was located within a few hours in Kannur, Manorama reported. When Govindachamy spotted the police, he tried to hide in a well but was caught and taken back into custody.
#WATCH | Kannur, Kerala | 2011 Soumya rape and murder accused Govindachamy, who had escaped from Kannur Jail, arrested https://t.co/yItvEXKj49 pic.twitter.com/fj3MzJi4aZ— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2025
The attempted escape has sparked concerns about security lapses in one of Kerala’s most secure prisons. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine how Govindachamy managed to escape unnoticed.
Soumya Murder Case
The crime occurred on February 1, 2011, when Soumya, a 23-year-old sales assistant at a Kochi shopping mall, was travelling alone in the ladies’ compartment of a train from Ernakulam to Shoranur.
During the journey, Govindachamy entered her coach, attacked her and pushed her out of the moving train near Vallathol Nagar station.
What followed was even more horrifying. According to Manorama Online, Govindachamy jumped off the train, found the injured woman lying on the tracks, and raped her near another railway line. After the assault, he fled the scene after stealing her mobile phone and cash from her purse.
Locals discovered the victim lying helpless on the tracks over an hour later and rushed her to Mulankunnathukavu Medical College Hospital. Meanwhile, Govindachamy was arrested in Palakkad on February 4, and the woman tragically died two days later, on February 6, 2011, due to her injuries.
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Govindachamy’s criminal record and the heinous nature of the crime sent shockwaves through Kerala. A fast-track court sentenced him to death in 2012, labeling him a habitual offender. The judge noted that the rape directly led to Soumya’s death and that the case had deeply disturbed the societal conscience.
However, the legal battle did not end there. The Supreme Court, in 2016, set aside the murder conviction, saying there wasn’t enough evidence to prove that the injuries leading to Soumya’s death were caused by Govindachamy pushing her from the train. The court, however, upheld the life sentence for rape, maintaining that his actions were undeniably barbaric.
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Location : Kerala, India, India
First Published: July 25, 2025, 19:50 IST
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