{{short description|Murder case in Tamil Nadu, India}} '''S. Swathi''' was a 24-year-old Indian Infosys employee who was murdered on June 24, 2016, at the Nungambakkam railway station in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India while on her way to her office. Swathi was murdered in front of several people, with passengers remaining mute spectators. The assailant, P. Ramkumar, escaped, and Swathi's body lay unattended before the police arrived and an investigation started.
==Victim== {{Infobox person | name = S. Swathi | birth_date = {{Birth based on age at death|24|2016|06|24}} | death_date = {{Death date and given age|2016|06|24|24}} | death_place = Chennai, India | death_cause = Stab wounds | alma_mater = Dhanalakshmi College of Engineering {{Small|(BS)}} }} Swathi was the daughter of Santhana Gopalakrishnan, a retired employee of ESIC, the health insurance company of the Indian government. She completed a bachelor's degree in computer science at Dhanalakshmi College of Engineering in 2014, taking a course in Oracle in Anna University the same year.<ref name="SwathiBackground">{{cite web | url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/250616/chennai-swathi-soft-spoken-person-say-relatives.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626142203/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/250616/chennai-swathi-soft-spoken-person-say-relatives.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 26, 2016 | title=Chennai: Swathi, soft-spoken person, say relatives | publisher=Deccan Chronicle | date=25 June 2016 | accessdate=5 July 2016}}</ref> After being selected for a job at Infosys, she underwent training in Mysore and received a job as a System Engineer. Sidhu, a friend of Swathi from the engineering college, described her as a friendly woman who generally kept to herself.<ref name="SwathiBackground" />
==Murder== At around 6:30 am IST on June 24, 2016, Swathi's father dropped her off at the Nungambakkam railway station in Chennai.<ref name=frontline>{{cite news|work=Frontline|url=http://www.frontline.in/the-nation/crime-capital/article8815551.ece|title=Crime capital|date=July 22, 2016}}</ref> As part of her daily routine, Swathi was waiting at the station to travel to her workplace in Mahindra World City.<ref name=frontline/> She was stabbed to death with a sickle following an argument with a man who had been waiting for her approximately 30 minutes beforehand.<ref name=newindian>{{cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/In-depth-Heres-the-complete-story-behind-Swathis-murder/2016/07/03/article3511729.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160703111627/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/In-depth-Heres-the-complete-story-behind-Swathis-murder/2016/07/03/article3511729.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 3, 2016|last=Sathish|first=M.|title=In depth: Here's the complete story behind Swathi's murder|publisher=New Indian Express|date=July 3, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/female-infosys-employee-hacked-to-death-in-chennai-2874289/|publisher=Indian Express|title=Female Infosys employee hacked to death at Chennai railway station|date=June 27, 2016|first=Arun|last=Janardhanan}}</ref> The attacker fled at around 6:42 am.<ref name=newindian/> Initially, the railway police who discovered her body covered it with shirts purchased from nearby stores, and her body was left in such a position for more than two hours.<ref name="Body left">{{cite web | url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Swathis-body-left-lying-on-railway-station-platform-for-2-hours/2016/06/25/article3498746.ece | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625142207/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Swathis-body-left-lying-on-railway-station-platform-for-2-hours/2016/06/25/article3498746.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 25, 2016 | title=Swathi's body left lying on railway station platform for 2 hours | publisher=New Indian Express | date=25 June 2016 | accessdate=6 July 2016}}</ref> A senior officer later reached the station and delivered the body to the Government General Hospital.<ref name="Body left"/>
==Suspect== {{Infobox person | name = P. Ramkumar | birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|24|2016|07|07|noage=1}}<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-07-08 |title=Infosys techie Swathi's killer regrets, but still angry at her |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/infosys-techie-swathis-killer-regrets-but-still-angry-at-her/articleshow/53105261.cms |access-date=2023-11-22 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> | birth_place = Meenakshipuram, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India | death_date = {{Death date|2016|09|18}} (aged 24–25) }}
P. Ramkumar was born in Meenakshipuram, a small village in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.<ref name="ramkumarprofile" /> His father, Paramasivam, was an employee of the telecommunications company BSNL, and his mother, Pushpam, was an agricultural worker.<ref name="ramkumarprofile" /> Ramkumar finished his schooling in 2011, and received a degree in mechanical engineering in 2015, though he found it difficult to find employment.<ref name="ramkumarprofile">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/chennai-techie-murder-suspect-a-portrait-of-an-introvert/article8803696.ece | title=Chennai techie murder suspect: A portrait of an introvert | work=The Hindu | date=3 July 2016 | accessdate=6 July 2016| last1=Sudhakar | first1=P. | last2=Narayanan | first2=Vivek }}</ref> Ramkumar and Swathi were Facebook friends, and they had previously exchanged phone numbers, as per police records.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.asianage.com/india/swathi-killer-were-facebook-friends-233 | title=Swathi, 'killer' were Facebook friends | publisher=Asian Age | date=4 July 2016 | accessdate=4 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="Facebook">{{cite web | url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/crime/040716/chennai-techie-murder-ram-kumar-knew-swathi-on-facebook.html | title=Killer Ram Kumar befriended Chennai techie Swathi on Facebook: police | publisher=Deccan Chronicle | date=4 July 2016 | access-date=6 July 2016}}</ref> A police officer stated that Ramkumar had stalked Swathi on Facebook, and monitored her movements offline.<ref name="Facebook" /> Seeking employment in the film industry and an opportunity to be closer to Swathi, he took up residence in Choolaimedu, a locality of Chennai.<ref name="ramkumarprofile" /><ref name="Facebook" /> Acquaintances characterized Ramkumar as largely solitary; some residents of Meenakshipuram said he was "friendless".<ref name="ramkumarprofile" /> On July 1, 2016, Ramkumar was arrested for the murder in Tirunelveli.<ref name="kumararrest" /> On September 18, 2016, Ramkumar, allegedly committed suicide by electrocuting himself in his cell at the Puzhal central prison in Chennai. Police have claimed that the accused died after biting a live electric wire.
==Investigation== The Madras High Court said it would intervene if the investigation proved lax, condemning the slowness of railway police in attending to the body.<ref name=madrascourt>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/infosys-techie-swathi-murder-case-prime-suspect-ramkumar-arrested/article8800607.ece|title=Swathi murder case accused kumar arrested in Tirunelveli|date=July 2, 2016|publisher=The Hindu Business Line}}</ref> The case was quickly transferred from railway to city police after little progress was made.<ref name=initinvestigation>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/City-police-to-handle-Infosys-employee-murder-case/articleshow/52937985.cms|title=City police to handle Infosys employee murder case|date=June 27, 2016|work=Times of India|first=V.|last=Ayyapan}}</ref> On July 1, 2016, Ramkumar was arrested for the murder in Tirunelveli.<ref name=kumararrest/> He allegedly attempted to commit suicide by slitting his throat, and was transferred to the government hospital of Tirunelveli<ref name="kumararrest">{{cite web |date=4 July 2016 |title=Swathi murder case: Prime accused kumar to be brought before court today |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/swathi-murder-case-prime-accused-kumar-to-be-brought-before-court-today-2892500/ |accessdate=7 August 2025 |publisher=Indian Express}}</ref> A friend of Swathi, Bilal Malik, has also been taken in for questioning by the police.
On 18 September 2016, while the investigation was ongoing, Ramkumar allegedly committed suicide while lodged in central prison. He was taken to hospital after he bit a live wire, where he was declared dead.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Swathi-murder-accused-Ramkumar-commits-suicide-in-Puzhal-Central-Prison-in-Chennai/articleshow/54393630.cms|title=Swathi murder accused Ramkumar commits suicide in Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2020-03-21}}</ref> In July 2022, Caravan magazine published a status check on the case including detailed interviews with multiple people exploring unanswered questions.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Blue Murder - The Swathi murder case, a Dalit youth’s death and unanswered questions in Tamil Nadu |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/crime/swathi-murder-case-ramkumar-custodial-killing-honour-killing-tamil-nadu-police |last=Sivagnanam |first=Sujatha |date=2022-07-31 |access-date=2023-07-21 |work=The Caravan}}</ref>
==Controversy== N. Panchapakesan, founder of Chennai Sai Sankara Matrimonials, authored a blog highlighting the Swathi murder case and made several remarks including calling men from other castes "loafers" who were attempting to bracket Brahmin girls for their "Higher Genetics" and being born a Brahmin is a rarity with inter-caste Marriages being a "Himalayan blunder". The blog was subsequently removed after widespread social media outrage and criticism by the press.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/living/swathi-murder-case-here-are-the-lessons-girls-should-learn-from-this-tragedy-2876204.html|title=Swathi murder case: Here are the 'lessons' girls should learn from this tragedy|date=July 6, 2016|website=Firstpost|access-date=2020-03-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Everybody loves a good motive: Casteism, misogyny pervades discourse on Swathi's murder|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/everyone-loves-good-motive-how-crass-casteism-misogyny-pervaded-speculation-around-swathis?amp|website=www.thenewsminute.com|date=July 7, 2016|access-date=2020-03-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2016/jul/06/matrimony-site-cites-swathi-case-to-extol-%e2%80%98brahmin-privilege%e2%80%99-877987.html|title=Matrimony site cites Swathi case to extol 'Brahmin privilege'|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=2020-03-21}}</ref>
==In popular culture== In 2017, Ramesh Selvan directed a film ''Swathi Kolai Vazhakku'' based on the incident, but due to legal hurdles<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/swathi-kolai-vazhaku-film-based-on-infamous-nungambakkam-murder-faces-legal-hurdles-3508563.html|title=Swathi Kolai Vazhaku: Film based on infamous Nungambakkam murder faces legal hurdles|date=2017-06-02|website=Firstpost|language=en|access-date=2020-03-21}}</ref> later, the film's title was changed to ''Nungambakkam'' and was released in October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nungambakkamthemovie.com/ |title=Nungambakkam the Movie |access-date=2019-08-01 |archive-date=2019-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801112350/https://nungambakkamthemovie.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2017/jul/11/swathi-kolai-vazhakku-gets-a-new-title-1057.html|title=Swathi Kolai Vazhakku gets a new title|website=Cinema Express|access-date=2020-04-07}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://archive.org/details/swathi-ramkumar-combined-final Swathi murder case - Documents and records released by Thileepan Mahendran]
Category:Indian murder victims Category:Criminal investigation Category:Femicide in India Category:Stalking Category:June 2016 crimes in Asia Category:2016 murders in India Category:Crime in Tamil Nadu Category:Deaths by stabbing in India Category:June 2016 in India Category:Caste-related violence in India Category:Stabbing attacks in 2016 Category:Infosys