Kannur/IBNS: An amputed rape and murder convict who was serving a life imprisonment on Friday escaped the Kannur Central Jail in Kerala's Kannur, media reports said.

Govindachamy, who does not have his left hand, was caught by police hours after launching a massive manhunt.

The convict's disappearance from the high security jail was noticed during an inspection in the early hours.

He had escaped at a time between 4:15 am and 6:30 am as suggested by the CCTV footage, police said.

Kannur SP Nidhinraj P said Govindachamy jumped off the prison's compound wall using a rope made of clothes, Hindustan Times reported.

The probe into whether anyone from inside the jail had helped him to escape is underway.

Govindachamy is serving the sentence for rape and murder of 23-year-old Soumya, whom he had attacked during a train journey from Ernakulam to Shoranur in 2011.

Govindachamy pushed Soumya, who worked at a shopping mall in Kochi, off the train.

The convict also jumped off the train and took Soumya to a wooded area where he raped her.

Soumya, who was found on tracks later, died of injuries at a government hospital in Thrissur.

Govindachamy was sentenced to death by a fast-track court in 2012 noting the brutal rape had led to her death.

In 2016, the Supreme Court reduced the punishment to life imprisonment dropping the murder charge.