India, Oct. 27 -- As many as 17 convicts serving various sentences at a district jail in Tamil Nadu's Theni escaped on Monday and seventeen teams have been formed to nab them. According to a police official, the prisoners escaped after staging a ruse that one of them was suffering from epilepsy.

At around 11:20 pm on Monday, police received information from the prison authorities that a jailbreak had occurred, said IGP South Zone Vijayendra S Bidari.

The incident occurred late at night at the jail located in Thekkampatti, Theni district, located about 500 km south of Chennai.

Before the escape, the convicts allegedly informed the prison authorities that one of the convict was suffering from fits and requires medical attention.

"It app...