Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 17 (IANS) Kerala’s capital city witnessed a chilling incident on Monday evening when a 19-year-old youth was stabbed to death in broad daylight, sending shockwaves across the state capital.
The victim, identified as Alan, a resident of Rajaji Nagar, succumbed to his injuries following an altercation at Thycaud, nearly a few metres from the bustling city centre.
The incident took place around 6 p.m. behind the Thycaud temple.
According to preliminary information, a verbal dispute between a group of youths escalated rapidly and ended in a fatal stabbing.
The clash is believed to have originated over a disagreement related to a game they were playing.
Eyewitnesses reported that more than 30 students were involved in the heated exchange that soon spiralled out of control.
In a desperate attempt to save the youth, two individuals took injured victim Alan on a motorcycle and rushed him to the Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital.
However, Alan was declared dead on arrival.
Police sources confirmed that two persons have been taken into custody by the Cantonment Police following the incident, and further questioning is underway.
Witness accounts added disturbing details to the unfolding investigation.
Several students in school uniforms were seen among the mob gathered at the spot.
It is suspected that those who attempted to intervene and resolve a minor dispute between the youths ended up becoming the attackers, although police have yet to confirm this angle.
The presence of such a large group of students on a weekday evening, and the sudden escalation of a trivial disagreement into a brutal killing, have sparked widespread concern.
Residents and bystanders have expressed shock that a violent crime of this nature could unfold in a central and busy neighbourhood of the city.
Police teams are examining CCTV footage from the area and questioning multiple witnesses to piece together the sequence of events.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are expected to release more details as the probe progresses.
–IANS
sg/khz