A prisoner involved in several criminal cases, mostly theft and a rape case, escaped while being brought to a Magistrate court today, police said.
Police said Siva alias Sathyakumar (23), scaled the wall of the toilet and escaped at Kalayarkovil bus-stand after seeking permission to attend to nature's call from the two police constables who were escorting him from the Madurai Central Prison to Thiruvadanai Judicial Magistrate Court.
He was to be produced in the court in connection with a theft case registered by Rameswaram police for allegedly stealing gold from the house of one Narasimhan in Rameswaram town.
A red alert has been issued to police in neighbouring districts to trace him, police said.
