CHENNAI: After the biggest manhunt which was launched in Chennai exactly a week ago, the city police finally arrested the suspected killer of Infosys software engineer S Swathi from Tirunelveli in southern Tamil Nadu.
Police Commissioner T K Rajendran had formed a special team, headed by an Additional Commissioner and comprising a Joint Commissioner, several senior officers and inspectors. Ten teams with about 10 members eachwere on the job, and their progress was reviewed daily by the police brass.
The Crime Branch CID provided technical support, while the Railway Police participated informally in the manhunt.
As many as 100 pieces of CCTV footage were viewed, and details of thousands of phone calls made in the region before and after the crime were analysed. Police had also scoured CCTV footage from the major transport hubs—Chennai Central, Egmore and Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus, before tracking him down in his native place.
An officer said the accused, identified as P Ramkumar (22), was arrested from his native Meenakshipuram near Shencottah. The engineering graduate slit his throat with a sharp object when the police surrounded him. The suspect sustained 60 per cent injury and was rushed to the Government Hospital in Tenkasi where he was given first aid. He was later rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Tirunelveli for treatment.
Doctors said the injury was not serious. “He is fine and will be shifted to the ICU ward after a minor procedure,” a doctor said. It was 6.30 am on Friday last week when Swathi was dropped by her father in a two-wheeler at Nungambakkam station. She was waiting on platform no 2 to catch a suburban train to office, unaware of the impending danger from her stalker. A single blow with a matchete, by the assailant on the unsuspecting young Infosys techie, floored the young woman down in a pool of blood. It all lasted for not more than a few minutes and the killer took to his heels. Recovering from the shock, two men attempted to chase the killer while another threw stones at him. But, jumping on to the track, he got into the next platform and threw the matchete on the rails before scaling over the compound wall and vanishing into the densely populated Choolaimedu locality.
Initially, the investigation was carried out by the Government Railway Police. In first three days, the cops were themselves clueless. For the station has no CCTV surveillance with literally no security.
But, the uproar over the gruesome incident at the railway station, catering mostly to students and office-goers, refused to die down. For, the police arrived at the scene of crime well after two hours. Till then, the body of the victim was lying uncovered and unattended denying dignity even in death. Besides the glances of onlookers, flies were swarming on the body. Later, Madras High Court took up the issue and gave two-day ultimatum to Chennai police who launched the manhunt.
Though groping in the dark, CCTV footages from nearby establishments provided the much needed leads and the police zeroed in on the suspect, who was staying in a mansion, a paying guest accommodation. But, it was kept a secret even as the police brought the office where Swathi worked, her colleagues and family under scrutiny. Police even maintained the matchette resembled that of those found in Karnataka and said a team would inquire in Mysuru, where Swathi took training.
However, the curtain dropped after the arrest of Kumar. “Ramkumar had been following Swathi prior to the murder. He had committed the crime alone. As of now, there is no evidence of involvement of his friends or accomplices,” said Rajendran.
Who is RamKumar?
Ram Kumar, a mechanical engineering graduate from a private college in Tenkasi, stays in Choolaimedu in Chennai since last few weeks. He is in search for a job to suit his qualifications for the past three months and is believed to have stalked Swathi for a few weeks or so. His father Paramasivan is a daily wage labourer. No professional killer or any other friends help him to commit the crime. Kumar stays at mansion which is diagonally opposite the Gangai Amman Kovil Street where Swathi lived