Police arrest youth in Infosys employee murder case

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Police have arrested a youth in Tirunelveli district alleged to be the killer of female software engineer with Infosys, S. Swathi, a top Chennai police officer said on Saturday.

Briefing reporters here about the arrest of 22-year-old P. Ramkumar, Chennai Police Commissioner said: "Ramkumar used to follow Swathi. He was infatuated with Swathi and wanted to strike up a friendship with her, which was not successful. Hence he killed her."

Rajendran said the evidences available are clear that Ramkumar is the killer and he had no accomplice.

He said when the Tirunelveli police tried to nab him on Friday midnight Ramkumar attempted to slit his throat with a blade.

Ramkumar was given first aid and then taken to the Government Hospital there for further treatment.

"We will go by the doctor's advice on interrogating him there or bringing him to Chennai," Rajendran said.

According to him, a special police team has gone to Tirunelveli to conduct further investigation.

Rajendran said Ramkumar had come to Chennai in search of a job.

The city Police Commissioner thanked the public and Swathi's parents for cooperating with the police in the investigations.

According to a senior doctor in the Government Hospital, it will take seven days for Ramkumar's wound to heal.

"After getting information from the investigation team we picked up Ramkumar, from his house on Friday night. On seeing us he tried to slit his throat with a blade. He was immediately taken to a hospital and is under treatment. He is fine and would recover," a police official in Tirunelveli told IANS over phone.

According to the official, Ramkumar, an unemployed engineering graduate, has two sisters. His father works in BSNL and mother is a housewife.

"It seems the family is unaware of his alleged deed," the official told IANS.

He said Rajkumar's neighbours were reluctant to speak about the youth after coming to know the reason behind the police action.

"We have to check with the college authorities and others to know about him," the police said.

Speaking to a television channel a neighbour said Ramkumar is a silent person.

Swathi was waiting at the Nungambakkam railway station to board a suburban train when an unidentified youth hacked her to death early in the morning on June 24.

With the images in the closed circuit television (CCTV) the police conducted its manhunt.

The attacker had also taken Swathi's mobile phone after killing her. The police tracked the phone signals and found the phone was in Choolaimedu area near Nungambakkam station, said a news report.

The police was earlier told that a person resembling Ramkumar was staying in a mansion-building where bachelors stay. He vanished from the building since June 24.