Police on Thursday arrested two persons in connection with the escape of a prison inmate, while authorities remained on high alert as the convict remained at large.

The escapee was named as 42-year-old Theodoros Theofanous, a hairdresser sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his pregnant partner, 24-year-old Yulia Oporok, and her child in 2011.

Theofanous had been granted leave to visit his relatives in the Paphos district village of Choletria.

In the evening, police announced they arrested two persons – aged 68 and 43 – on suspicion of aiding and abetting the convict to escape.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, the 68-year-old under arrest is Theofanous’ father.

The manhunt for Theofanous was ongoing, with police using a helicopter, dogs and drones.

According to the local community leader, Theofanous visited his parents on Thursday around noon.

Over the past four years, the convict had been given leave to visit his parents, which he did approximately once every three months.

Initial reports suggested that the prisoner had been escorted by four members of the police’s rapid response unit (MMAD) when he visited family in Paphos.

Sigma news channel reported that Theofanous had no handcuffs on at the time.

Due to the severity of the situation, the guards responsible for Theofanous were expected to be suspended.

A crisis management centre has been operating at the police headquarters since the prisoner’s escape to monitor information and coordinate the search efforts.

Police spokesman Christos Andreou told the Cyprus News Agency that “the circumstances under which he escaped are currently being investigated” but was unable to confirm or deny whether police officers are also being investigated for their potential part in the case.

The crime committed by Theofanous 13 years ago shocked the Cypriot public. He had been living with Oporok, who was four months pregnant at the time, and reportedly exhibited extreme jealousy. He had even reported her disappearance to the police.

Following an investigation, Oporok’s body was found in her car near the Yeroskipou coastal area with gunshot wounds to her chest and abdomen. The body of her three-year-old daughter, Viktoria, was discovered 50 metres away from the vehicle.

According to autopsy reports, the young girl witnessed her mother’s murder and was killed by Theofanous, as he suffocated her by covering her mouth and nose.

During the trial, it emerged that Theofanous had confessed to the crime to fellow inmate Antonis Prokopiou Kitas, who testified in court. His testimony was deemed credible by the court.