'Breaking Bad' To 'Prison Break': MK Stalin Goes All Guns Blazing On Vijay

DMK chief MK Stalin has doubled down on his "Breaking Bad" attack on the ruling TVK after the jailbreak incident in the state's Theni district.

Launching a biting pop-culture critique against Chief Minister Vijay's government, Stalin mocked the state's law-and-order situation by stating that after "Breaking Bad", the phenomenon of "Prison Break" has begun in Tamil Nadu.

The former chief minister had fired the "Breaking Bad" salvo at the ruling TVK, branding it a "breaking bad party" on Saturday following the arrest of one of its functionaries in connection with a major narcotics seizure.

On Tuesday, the DMK chief attacked the state government over the Theni jailbreak after 17 undertrial prisoners escaped from the Thekkampatti Sub-Jail in the district on Monday. The incident came just days after two prisoners escaped from Puzhal prison on the outskirts of Chennai, putting the state's prison administration under renewed scrutiny.

Read | 17 Undertrials Escape Tamil Nadu Jail After Fake Epileptic Seizure, 4 Caught

"Following Breaking Bad, a Prison Break has now begun in Tamil Nadu! I thought it was only those released on bail who went unmonitored; it turns out this administration is so incompetent that it even lets prisoners escape from within the jails," Stalin posted on Tuesday.

Breaking Bad தொடர்ந்து, தமிழ்நாட்டில் Prison Break-உம் தொடங்கிவிட்டது! ஜாமினில் வெளிவரும் குற்றவாளிகளைத்தான் கண்காணிப்பதில்லை என்று நினைத்தேன். சிறைக்குள் இருக்கும் கைதிகளையும் தப்பிக்க விடும் இலட்சணத்தில்தான் இந்த ஆட்சி இருக்கிறது. புழல் சிறையில் இருந்து 2 கைதிகள் தப்பி ஓடிய அதிர்ச்சியில் இருந்து நாம் மீள்வதற்குள், தேனி மாவட்டச் சிறையில் இருந்து 17 கைதிகள் தப்பியுள்ளனர். ஒரேயடியாக இத்தனை கைதிகள் தப்பிப்பது 1995-க்குப் பிறகு இதுதான் முதல்முறை என்கிறார்கள். பாதுகாப்பு ஏற்பாடுகளும், கண்காணிப்பு வசதிகளும் மேம்பட்ட 2026-இல் இப்படி நடப்பதை ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள முடியாது. வெளியில் இருக்கும் குற்றவாளிகள் சுதந்திரமாகக் குற்றங்களைப் புரிகிறார்கள். உள்ளே இருக்கும் கைதிகளும் தைரியமாகத் தப்பிச் செல்கிறார்கள். மொத்தத்தில், ஒன்றுக்கும் உதவாத good for nothing அரசாக இந்த மூடர்கூடத் த.வெ.க. அரசு இருக்கிறது. இவர்கள் மக்களைக் காக்கப் போவதில்லை. மக்களே அவர்களைக் காத்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டிய அவல நிலைக்குத் தமிழ்நாடு சென்றுவிட்டது.

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) October 27, 2026

He added that this is the most daring jailbreak since 1995 and branded the Vijay government as "good for nothing".

The Home Department comes directly under Chief Minister Vijay.

"It is said that this is the first time since 1995 that such a large number of prisoners have escaped at once. It is unacceptable for this to happen in 2026, a time when security arrangements and surveillance systems should be advanced," he added.

"Criminals on the outside commit offenses with total freedom, while those on the inside boldly break out. In short, this is a completely useless, 'good-for-nothing' administration. They are not going to protect the people; Tamil Nadu has reached a pathetic state where the public is left to fend for and protect themselves."

Amping up the attack on the chief minister, DMK's TKS Elangovan asked if those who escaped were Vijay's fans. "We must check if the escaped prisoners are fans of Vijay or belong to the TVK," he stated.

AIADMK Chief  Edappadi K Palaniswami also expressed shock and accused the government of failing to act after the earlier escape from Puzhal.

"If prisoners can attack police personnel and escape from a prison, what security can ordinary people expect on the streets?" he asked, urging the government to focus on law and order and ensure that the escapees were brought back to custody.

AIADMK MP R Inbadurai also joined the attack on the TVK government, describing the escape of 17 prisoners from the Theni sub-jail as a "shocking manifestation of administrative failure and sheer incompetence". Calling it a "colossal security lapse", he demanded accountability and said the situation warranted "nothing less than placing the administration under suspended animation".

The police have so far re-arrested four of the escapees and a hunt is on for the rest.

South Zone Inspector General of Police Bidari told NDTV that intensive combing operations were underway in the forested area.

Watch | Vijay Government Under Fire Over Parole For 5 Coimbatore Blasts Convicts

"We are confident we will secure all of them," he said.

Tamil Nadu Prisons Director General of Police Sandeep Rai Rathore has also arrived in Madurai from Chennai to investigate the jailbreak.

Police suspect that the remaining prisoners may be hiding in the Theni forest area. Special teams have been deployed to comb the difficult terrain, while checkposts have been set up at 16 points to prevent the escapees from moving out of the area.

Special checks are also being carried out at the bus stands in the area. Police have also deployed drones in the search operation.

According to preliminary information, at least one of the undertrials allegedly feigned an epileptic seizure as part of the escape attempt. When prison staff opened the cell door to assist, the remaining inmates ambushed and overpowered them.