This refers to the editorial, “The curious death of Ramkumar” (Sept. 23). Ramkumar should have been under vigilance 24/7 as the Swathi murder case is high profile and has assumed caste overtones. Whether Ramkumar could have resorted to biting a live wire on his own volition, however unsound his mind was said to be, is disputable. If the needle of suspicion over the cause of his death points to abject custodial failure, the State administration cannot escape from its responsibility as it is fully aware of the case sensitivities. Assuming that the deceased was the real culprit, he now gets all the sympathy and benefit of doubt due to inept handling by the police, who have provided enough fodder to the rumour mills. The unhealthy voices that are being heard in some quarters, that Ramkumar deserved to die, shows how bloodthirsty we are. Only a full-scale investigation can quieten these cries.
Sivamani Vasudevan,
Chennai
Given that he tried to commit suicide earlier, the allegation that Ramkumar was murdered in prison lacks substance. Had he been innocent, then why did he hide in his native place when the police were looking for him? Why didn’t he present himself before the police once his image was flashed across the media? What was he doing on the road outside the station where Swathi was murdered? Since the CCTV clip is private, it cannot be a doctored one.
S. Srinivasan,
Chennai
