CHENNAI: Three days after the daylight murder of Infosys employee S Swathi at the Nungambakkam railway station, the investigations into the case, that has grabbed national attention, has been handed over to the Chennai city police.
This comes in the backdrop of the Railway police, that is so far investigating the case since it took place inside a railway station, could make little progress in the case. Railway police, which is also a part of the state police, is known for its militated manpower and technological tools.
Despite the murder taking place in public view, the police were unable to make any progress in identifying the killer. Over 100 people have been quizzed so far by the police and a couple of CCTV footage of a suspect also lifted from the locality.
Amidst growing public outrage over the incident, the state's Director General of Police Ashok Kumar on Monday ordered the transfer of the case from the railway police to the Nungambakkam police.
"While the case has now been officially transferred, our personnel were helping our counterparts in the railway police till date," a senior police officer, dismissing reports that there was lack of coordination between the Chennai city police and the railway police in the investigations.
On Monday, the a two-member bench of the Madras High Court also raised questions on the alleged lack of coordination between the two wings of the police. It had asked the state government's counsel to file a status report on the case by 3 pm.
So far, the police have got finger prints of the suspect from a machete, which is believed to had used to slay Swathi and left behind on the rail tracks. A couple of foggy CCTV footage of a suspect also were released by the police. The police have been asking public's help in identifying the suspect.