M. Swetha, a college student, was stabbed to death by a youth near Tambaram railway station on Thursday afternoon.
The assailant, G. Ramachandran, 25, tried to harm himself with the same weapon, a kitchen knife, but was overpowered by members of the public and handed over to the police. He told the police that he had a strained relationship with the 20-year-old student.
A police officer said Swetha, of Madras Christian College, was walking towards the railway station to go home at Chromepet when Ramachandran accosted her.
The officer said that during the initial interrogation, Ramachandran, working at a private company at Maraimalai Nagar, told the police that he and Swetha became friends while travelling in the suburban train. But a few weeks ago, the girl stopped meeting him and did not respond to his phone calls. On Thursday, when both were having a verbal spat, he took out the knife and stabbed her.
He was arrested and admitted to hospital.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and
Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)
