A woman working with Ashok Leyland was stabbed by a former colleague while she was leaving for work on Wednesday morning from her hostel in T. Nagar. She sustained serious cut wounds but is said to be out of danger.
The victim, Suchismitha (32), from West Bengal, works in the R&D Department of Ashok Leyland at Vellivoyalchavadi near Minjur and stays at a women’s hostel on Bhagavandam street, T. Nagar.
The incident occurred when she was walking down the street from the hostel to board a bus on G.N Road.
The assailant has been identified as R. Ragunath (23), a B. Tech graduate hailing from Sivakasi, who was working with her a year ago. The incident took place around 6.40 a.m.
The youth allegedly drove by in a two-wheeler just as she was stepping out of her hostel, whipped out a knife and stabbed her. An auto driver on Bhagavandam Street said her screams on being attacked alerted passers-by.
“After he stabbed her, she ran back to her hostel and then was taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, people in the locality chased the youth, caught him and handed him over to the police.”
The woman was taken to Apollo Hospitals, Teynampet. The assailant was taken to the Mambalam police station and interrogated.
Later, Ragunath was produced before the Metropolitan magistrate court, which remanded him to judicial custody for offences, including Section 307 (Attempt to murder).
According to a senior police officer, Ragunath was working as contract staff with Ashok Leyland and staying in Perungudi. He used to travel along with Suchi in the company bus to the work spot.
On one occasion, he allegedly misbehaved with her while travelling on the bus.
Infuriated over this, she shouted at him and her other colleagues also chided him.
After this, he apologised to her. Soon, he lost his job at the firm.
However, he told the police that Suchi was to be blamed for his losing his job. On questioning, he charged that she had spoken to her father, who is in a senior position in the company in a branch in north India, and that he had ensured Ragunath lost his job.
Frustrated over not getting any other job, he decided to seek revenge. He made a thorough study of the street where her hostel is located on Tuesday before the attack.
Company statement
A spokesperson of Ashok Leyland, said, “Prima facie, it appears to be a case of personal vendetta. We are extending all cooperation to the investigation authorities. The safety of all our employees is of prime importance and we will ensure all care and attention is taken to avoid such incidents. The attacker was a not an employee of Ashok Leyland; he was hired by a sub-contractor.”
