Crowds throng hospital for glimpse of Chennai techie 'killer' Ram Kumar

Chennai: A huge crowd was visible outside the Government Royappetah Hospital in the city since early morning on Monday after it was known that P. Ramkumar, suspect in the murder of Infosys techie Swathi, was recuperating in the intensive critical care unit.

People were waiting in vain to get a glimpse of the suspect, who attempted to slit his throat in a suicide bid when police approached to arrest him.

As the ICU was heavily guarded, people had no option other than to spend some time outside the hospital and return home. But the impact the ferocious crime had created in the city was visible on their faces.

Read: Killer Ram Kumar befriended Chennai techie Swathi on Facebook: police

People turned more curious when television channels beamed flash news saying that his condition was improving and he can talk.  Most of the hospital premises were seen occupied by media professionals from across the country.

A long line of OB Vans, press and police vehicles parked inside and outside the campus made patients, onlookers and passersby curious. Unable to contain the curiosity, some of the pedestrians and auto drivers, who had cancelled their trips, waited at the entrance in the hope they would get a glimpse of the alleged murderer, who kept the city police on their toes for a week.

Read: Chennai techie murder: Ram Kumar used uncle’s sickle to kill Swathi

While a few peeped out from moving vehicles, other busy ones behind the wheels, slowed down at the entrance, causing traffic snarls and then steered away.

Armed with mikes and cameras, reporters and photographers, who were stopped by security, stationed themselves right at the entrance to the convicts’ block where Ramkumar was admitted.  While a few were reporting live, some were seen shuttling between doctors and police. Out-patients and bystanders, excited by the media frenzy, happily posed in front of cameras to give their take on the murder and blamed government for treating a criminal.

A few joined the crowd and kept asking all sorts of questions to the media, who according to them knew everything. The doctors, who were periodically briefing the media, were in turn seen getting briefed by the police. The media frenzy reached a high pitch when the dean came out to brief the media and when magistrate arrived to record the statement.