CHENNAI: P Ramkumar, the accused in the murder of Infosys techie Swathi, allegedly committed suicide in the Puzhal prison on Sunday, police sources said. He was rushed to the Royapettah government hospital, where he was declared dead.
Ram Kumar is said to have pulled out a live cable from a switch board in the dispensary block of the prison and bitten it to kill himself at around 4.30 pm., prison sources claimed.
The switch board was located in the veranda of the dispensary block, which has nine cells. The switch board had switches for all the electric connections in the nine cells. Jailor Jayaram filed a complaint over the death in the puzhal police station.
None were present in the cell when the alleged suicide took place. Security guards later rushed and tried to rescue him after disconnecting the power supply. But it is said he succumbed on the spot and doctors at the Royapettah Government hospital declared him dead on arrival.
An official from the hospital said, "Ramkumar was brought here at around 5.40 pm and we found that he had already succumbed." He also added that the autopsy would be conducted only tomorrow.
According to a doctor, he suffered an electric shock injury on left side of his cheek and chest.
As per law, the prison officials will now have to file a complaint in the local police station on the death and the case will be referred to a judicial magistrate. The autopsy will be conducted in the presence of the judicial magistrate and is expected to take place on Monday. Parents and close relatives of the deceased will be allowed to see the body only the presence of the magistrate, police sources said.
Ramkumar, the youth hailing from a village in the southern district of Tirunelveli, was arrested after the major manhunt in recent years in the state.
According to police, Ramkumar slayed Swathi to death on morning of June 24 at Nungambakkam railway station as she was waiting to board train for her office. Even when he was arrested on July 1 night from the village he allegedly attempted suicide by slitting throat.
Confirming the death, Vijay Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons), told Express "A probe by judicial magistrate will take place as mandated by law."
'There was no sign of suicidal tendencies'
Advocate Ramraj, the defense counsel of Ramkumar spoke to Express and said that Ramkumar had no reasons to commit suicide and called it a murder by police.
"When I spoke to him yesterday, he was very confident that we will get a bail and come out soon. He had no reason to commit suicide. It is purely a murder by the officials," said advocate Ramraj.
Ramraj and a few other advocates attempted to stage protest by blocking the road in front of the Royapettah government hospital at around 7.40 pm.
Shocked over hearing his son's death, Paramasivam, speaking from Meenachipuram in Tirunelveli district, said to reporters that the police killed his son. He also questioned how it was possible to commit suicide inside a high security prison cell.
Incidentally, Ramkumar was to be produced before a judicial magistrate court on Monday as his judicial custody comes to an end. As per routine, the custody would be extended for 15 more days, unless he is given bail.
"Tomorrow (on Monday) he was to be produced in the court for remand extension. So we came to Chennai to see him. But the prison officials phoned us saying Ram Kumar is ill and asked us to come to Royapettah government hospital. After reaching here, we were told he committed suicide," said Selvakumar, a close relative of Ram Kumar.
An assistant of advocate Ramraj confirmed that on Saturday Ramraj visited Ramkumar in the prison and spoke to him for an hour from 11.30 am to 12.30 pm.
Thol Thirumavalavan, President of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), said that he had met the Ramkumar's family who had claimed that Ramkumar was not involved in the murder. "There is suspicion in his death. Earlier, when his parents and lawyer met him, he said that he was not involved in this murder. The Tamil Nadu Government has to take the responsibility and should clarify the suspicion behind Ramkumar's death."
Reacting to Ramkumar's alleged suicide, M K Stalin, leader of the opposition DMK , has said in a statement on Sunday evening that a team headed by a high court judge must probe into the death.
What will happen to the case now?
Since the lone accused in the case is now dead, the investigations in Swathi's murder case will come to an end. The police will have to file a report in the magistrate court that the charges against the accused be abated since he is no more.
Ram Kumar was just 10 days away to be eligible to get a bail:
Come September 29, Ram Kumar would have spent 90 days in prison that would have made him eligible to be released on bail. As per Criminal Procedure Code, an accused must be granted bail if police do not file charge sheet even 90 days after his/her arrest under charges punishable with sentences more than 10 years jail terms. The Nungambakkam police, which is investigating the case, was yet to file the charge sheet in the sensational murder case.