For the second day in a row, police personnel, press persons and motorists jostled for space on the footpath and road outside the mortuary of the Government Royapettah Hospital.
The post-mortem examination of P. Ramkumar, the suspect in the murder of techie S. Swathi, originally scheduled for Monday, was supposed to take place on Tuesday. However, it was held up again as the matter was referred to a third judge by a division Bench of the Madras High Court.
Dean of the hospital Narayana Babu said the four-member team of doctors constituted on Monday had been ready all day.
‘Family did not come’
“All arrangements had been made. The magistrate had also come by 9.15 a.m.,” he said. However, the family of Mr. Ramkumar did not come. The hospital would now await court directions and proceed accordingly, he said. The team of doctors comprise two from the Government Kilpauk Hospital, one from the Government Royapettah Hospital and one from the Government Stanley Hospital.
The gates of the mortuary, which was barricaded and guarded by a posse of police personnel, were being opened and shut throughout the day as hearses arrived and left.
Puzzled motorists stared at the crowds as they waited for the traffic pile-up to clear. Some shops on the opposite stretch opened early and a snack shop did excellent business.
In the afternoon, members of the VCK staged a protest on the road outside, and later, cadres of the BSP too arrived. It was only after 4 p.m., when news of the court decision came through, that the crowd slowly dispersed.
