KIDNAP, RAPE, MURDER...

A schoolgirl was kidnapped and murdered by a 25-year-old man in Ganapathyendhal near Sivaganga on Monday. The shocking case came to light on Tuesday, the day of identification parade held in Chennai for Ramkumar, the suspect in the murder of Swathi in Chennai on June 24. 

As with the Swathi case, the suspect in the minor’s murder is said to have slit his throat on seeing the police. The minor girl, a Class 6 student was allegedly kidnapped after school hours by her neighbour Karthik (25), a lorry driver. As the girl did not return home after school hours, her parents went searching for her. On being informed that Karthik was seen taking her on his bike, the girl’s mother Jaya called him on his mobile phone, Karthik informed her that he had murdered her daughter and switched off his mobile. Jaya called the police in a panic, who traced Karthik to the village pond. When he saw the cops he attempted to commit suicide by slitting his throat with a shaving blade. However, police rescued him and rushed him to the General Hospital in Sivaganga. They also recovered a bottle of pesticide from the spot. Police also recovered the girl’s body from where it was buried, early Tuesday morning and sent it for postmortem. There is a strong suspicion she may have been raped. Karthik, a distant relative of the girl, had given a five page love letter to the girl a few days ago. She had shown it to her friends and Karthik was allegedly mocked by both her and his friends say police who are investigating the case.

Sending shock waves inside the Madras High Court complex, an advocate was hacked using a machete in his chamber at the Madras High Court complex on Tuesday. Police said M Rajesh (25), son of advocate Manimaran (54), entered his father’s chamber at around 1 pm on Tuesday. He reportedly argued with his father over his affair with another woman and in a sudden fit of rage pulled out the machete he carried in his backpack and hacked him. Rajesh then tried to flee from the court compound but the other advocates who saw a youngster trying to escape with a weapon dripping with blood, chased him and hit him with a chair. He was subsequently beaten up by a large group of advocates. 

Advocate Manimaran was then rushed to the Government General Hospital with injuries to his face, hand and head. His condition is said to be stable. Police have admitted Rajesh to Royapettah Government General Hospital with minor injuries. Police said Manimaran, who has two sons and a daughter from his marriage, has been living with his lover at Velachery. 

Due to his non- cooperation, the marriage proposals for his 28-year old daughter were getting affected. “When the prospective groom’s family wanted to meet the girl’s father, Manimaran refused to turn up and that had infuriated Rajesh,” a police officer said. Police said Manimaran had also threatened to murder his wife and that triggered the attack.

A woman engineering graduate was kidnapped from her house at Urapakkam near Guduvanchery on Monday morning allegedly by four persons who had been cheated by the mother of the victim. However, police managed to rescue the girl within five hours of getting the information. Police rescued Priyanka (20) from a house near Singaperumal. Police also arrested the four accused, Segar of Padappai, Gnanamurthy, Dhandapani and Raj, all natives of Wallajahbad. Police said Priyanka and her mother Shanthi had been living in Maduravoyal till last month where Shanthi allegedly collected money from many, offering to get them houses at the Tamil Nadu Slum Development Board quarters, but failed to do so. Shanthi was later arrested in this cheating case and had come out on bail. So all the four accused, who had paid money to Shanthi, decided to kidnap her daughter to blackmail Shanthi.

"Most of the murders have family disputes and property disputes as motive. Such murders cannot be prevented by the police. There is no threat to law and order in the state. We should analyse each murder before jumping to conclusions."

J K Tripathy, ADGP, L & O, Tamil Nadu

“Frisking needs to be intensified similar to what happens at the police commissioner’s office. Metal detectors and baggage scanners need to be installed at all entry points to ensure that no contraband or weapons are smuggled into the court premises.”

R Y George Williams, advocate

There is utter lawlessness as most people, who commit a crime, feel they can get away with it. The focus of the police is not towards protection of public but on VIP detail. It is very hard to file a CSR, even as an activist. There is no witness protection plan in place.

Jayaram Venkatesan, Convenor, Arappor Iyakkam