Pune techie murder: Victim had informed Infosys about accused's advances

Pune: A 27-year-old software professional, who was strangulated to death at her workstation in her office of Infosys Software Technology Limited in Pune on Sunday, had informed the office authorities about the advances made by a security guard, the accused in the murder.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, Rasila Raju OP, the victim, had told her relatives that security guard Bhaben Bharali Saikiya was making advances to her and that she had complained about him to Infosys.

Rasila’s uncle Manoj alleged that the office authorities did not take any action against Saikiya.

“We will file a complaint calling for a detailed inquiry into Rasila’s death. During telephone calls, she had talked about the same security guard making advances towards her. Though she had complained to the company officials, no action was taken,” Manoj said.

The preliminary investigation into Rasila’s murder revealed that Saikiya was ogling at her while she was working on Sunday. Rasila asked Saikiya not to look at her and said otherwise she would complain to his superiors and he would lose his job.

Following this the accused, under the pretext of pleading with her not to complain, entered her workstation and allegedly strangulated her with a computer cable. The police has booked Saikiya under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. The court has granted five days police custody of the accused.

The murder took place in Rajiv Gandhi IT Park, Phase II in Hinjewadi, Pune.

Rasila hails from Mulgoan, Ozompoil, Paimbra in Kozikode district of Kerala and was living as a private paying guest in Hinjewadi Phase I.

Meanwhile, the police nabbed Saikiya at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai in the wee hours of Monday. The accused was about to flee to Assam from CST, sources said. Saikiya hails from Assam and stays in Hinjewadi Phase III.

Ganesh Shinde, deputy commissioner of police, Pune, said, “According to the FIR filed by Abhijit Kothari, team lead of the project on which Rasila was working, Rasila along with eight members from Pune and seven from Bangalore was working on the project. The project required employees to be present 24/7.

He added, “At 5.30 pm Sunday, Rasila’s Bangalore colleagues informed Abhijit that Rasila was not responding to them on their computer software application and not answering her phone either. Then Abhijit called Rasila but she did not answer his calls too. A security guard informed Abhijit on landline that he had no access to the workstation where Rasila was working. The guard told Abhijit he would inform his superior.”

At 7.30 pm, the guard informed Abhijit that they had got access to the workstation and had found Rasila lying there in a pool of blood. Her face had signs of bruises. She was taken to a hospital, where she was declared brought dead.  Shinde added, “When we checked CCTV footage, there was only one security guard who was on duty on the floor. Accordingly, we tried to reach Saikiya, who had been on duty. We nabbed him at 5 am on Monday at CST.”

Shinde added that during interrogation, the accused said Rasila had warned him not to look at her and that otherwise she would complain and he would lose his job. 

“Then the accused, under the pretext of pleading with her, managed to enter the workstation by following Rasila as she entered it using her access card. He then strangulated her with a yellow computer LAN cable and assaulted her with his shoes. The murder happened between 5 and 6 pm. The accused remained at the floor till his shift ended around 6-7 pm and later left the campus.”