An undertrial housed at the Coimbatore Central Prison, who had escaped from the Prisoners’ Ward in Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital late on Friday night, was arrested in the early hours of Saturday by a special team of the city police.

Ajithkumar (34) of Tiruppur, who was in prison in a case of group clash in Tiruppur district, was cornered while he was hiding in a lodge near Coimbatore International Airport in Peelamedu limits.

The accused had reportedly confessed that he had planned to escape to Karnataka or Andhra Pradesh. Ajithkumar, according to the police, had gone missing minutes after he had taken the consent of the security team to use the toilet.

Special teams conducted searches at the bus stands and railway stations, and examined footage from CCTV camera installed at various locations in the city.

Ajithkumar was subsequently taken back to the Coimbatore Central Jail. The police personnel posted at the prisoners’ ward will be subjected to departmental action, sources added.