With no significant headway in the investigation even a week after techie Swathi was hacked to death at Nungambakkam railway station, the Chennai Police have roped in a private agency to analyse suspicious mobile phone numbers that were active in the towers of various service providers covering the scene of crime on June 24, 2016.
After shortlisting about 100 mobile phone numbers, the traces of which were found to be strange or suspicious, investigators have called in the assistance of experts in a private agency who had already helped them detect a few challenging cases in the past. “The call details of suspicious numbers are being analysed for clues that may help in tracking down the suspect. Cyber crime experts from the Crime Branch CID of the Tamil Nadu police are also part of the special team,” a police official said.
Swathi stalked for days
Meanwhile, investigation has revealed that the suspect stalked Swathi for several days before hacking her to death last Friday.
Police have established evidence which indicates that the suspect tracked Swathi to her work place on more than one occasion. A couple of weeks ago, he was seen tracking her at the Paranur railway station.
“We are in the process of putting together scientific evidence to corroborate this angle. If the suspect was stalking Swathi for so many days, then the chances of him being a hired killer are not much. If murdering her was the motive, then why did he stalk her for so many days and why he chose to commit the offence at Nungambakkam railway station is a question that remains to be probed,” a senior police official said.
“It appeared that the suspect was either trying to communicate something to the victim or simply keeping track of her movements. On the day of the murder, eyewitnesses say he hacked her with the aruval without any provocation. Reports that he had confronted her on earlier occasions or took her mobile phone after the murder seem to be baseless. We are analysing the CCTV footage recorded at the victim’s work place to check whether the suspect went there looking for her,” the official added.
Commissioner of Police T. K. Rajendran said investigation was progressing in the right direction and a breakthrough was expected soon. Based on information shared by Swathi’s friends, police were examining some of her colleagues and acquaintances. “A few people who thought that the suspect looked familiar have called our officers and shared some inputs...a couple of them have even sent some photographs that we are comparing with that of the suspect,” he said.
Police are also analysing the CCTV footage recorded at the victim’s work place at Paranur
