A Mahila Court has sentenced a 25-year-old youth to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment after convicting him for stabbing a 32-year-old woman near a women’s hostel in T.Nagar two years ago.
According to the prosecution, the victim, Suchi Smitha Chatterjee, from West Bengal, worked in the R&D Department of Ashok Leyland near Minjur and was staying at a women’s hostel on Bhagavandam Street, T. Nagar.
On March 23, 2017, she was walking down the street from the hostel to board a bus on G.N Road. At 6.40 a.m., the accused, R. Ragunath, a B.Tech graduate from Sivakasi, who was working with her, came in a two-wheeler to her hostel. As she stepped out, he whipped out a knife and stabbed her.
Ragunath was working as a contract staff with the private firm and used to travel along with Suchi in the company bus to the work spot.
On one occasion, he allegedly misbehaved with her and she shouted at him. After this, he apologised. Soon, he lost his job at the firm.
Planned attack
Frustrated over not getting another job, he planned the attack, the police said.
Ragunath was arrested and tried for offences under Sections 341 (Wrongfully restraining a person), 307 (Attempt to murder) and 506 (ii) (Criminal Intimidation) of the IPC.
Pronouncing the judgment in the case, Mahila Court Judge R.N. Manjula convicted Ragunath and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment, besides imposing a fine of ₹15,000.
