Synopsis
A tragic incident in Thiruvananthapuram saw a 22-year-old BTech student from Mizoram, Valentine, stabbed to death. His batchmate has been arrested. This highlights the concerning rise in campus violence in Kerala.Key Takeaways
- 22-year-old BTech student from Mizoram was killed.
- Incident occurred near Rajadhani Institute.
- Batchmate arrested for the stabbing.
- Campus violence in Kerala is escalating.
- Previous altercations between the two students reported.
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 23 (NationPress) A 22-year-old BTech student hailing from Mizoram was fatally stabbed near his college in Thiruvananthapuram. The victim, Valentine, was enrolled at the Rajadhani Institute of Engineering & Technology, Nagaroor.
As per police reports, a fellow student, also from Mizoram, has been arrested in connection with the stabbing.
The incident unfolded around 10.30 p.m. on Saturday (February 22) at a location approximately 200 meters from the college. Local residents notified the authorities, and the wounded student was first taken to a nearby medical facility before being transferred to KIMS Hospital, where he tragically succumbed to his injuries on Sunday morning.
Initial investigations indicate that a dispute between the two students may have triggered the stabbing. Sources in the locality have reported that both the victim and the accused had a history of altercations, often exacerbated by alcohol consumption. Both had previously faced expulsion from the college hostel due to earlier incidents.
Law enforcement has confirmed that the suspect was apprehended at the scene, and investigations are ongoing.
Campus violence has increasingly become a matter of concern in Kerala, with numerous instances of student clashes resulting in fatalities. While many of these cases are rooted in political rivalries, personal conflicts have also escalated into violence.
In recent years, three significant student murders have sent shockwaves through Kerala. Abhimanyu, an SFI leader from Kochi’s Maharaja’s College, was fatally stabbed, allegedly by individuals affiliated with the banned Islamic extremist group Popular Front’s student faction, Campus Front. P. Dheeraj, another SFI leader from Idukki Engineering College, was killed, reportedly by KSU activists. K.S. Sidharthan of Wayanad’s Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University lost his life in a suspected ragging incident involving SFI members.
According to official statistics presented in the Kerala State Assembly, incidents of campus violence have surged since 2016. Between May 2016 and June 2024, law enforcement recorded 500 cases of violence related to students, including three murders. The report indicated that the SFI, aligned with the CPI(M), and KSU, the Congress-affiliated student organization, accounted for the majority of these cases. Of all reported criminal incidents, 270 cases involved SFI members, while 112 cases were related to KSU activists.
The remaining incidents involved activists from ABVP, MSF, AISF, and Campus Front. Over the past nine years, a total of 3,183 students have been implicated in various legal cases, underscoring the escalating unrest within educational institutions in Kerala.
As the inquiry into Valentine’s murder continues, authorities are scrutinizing the events leading to the deadly confrontation. This incident underscores the persistent problem of campus violence in Kerala, raising serious concerns regarding student safety and the efficacy of law enforcement on college grounds.
