COIMBATORE: Three years after a Chennai-based girl (Swathi) was hacked to death by a stalker at a railway station, Coimbatore bore witness to a similar murder attempt when a 22-year-old youth stabbed his former lover on TV Samy Road (West) at RS Puram on Monday evening. Alerted by the screams of the woman, passers-by caught the assailant and thrashed him before handing him over to the police. The victim sustained minor injuries to her abdomen.
Sources said that Amritha (20), from Palakkad in Kerala, was in a relationship with Suresh, also from Palakkad. They fell in love while studying at a Shoranur-based college in Kerala. Meanwhile, two months ago, Amritha severed ties after her parents opposed to the relationship. While she had been clear about the break-up, Suresh refused to let go and started stalking her. In the meantime, she got selected by a company and was sent for a six- month training on TV Samy Road (West).
On Monday, around 6.30 pm, she came out of the institution and found Suresh waiting for her. When she avoided him, in a fit of rage, Suresh stabbed her with a sharp weapon in full public view. Though she tried to escape the onslaught, Suresh chased after her and stabbed her. The girl was rushed to a private hospital while Suresh was arrested by RS Puram police. A probe is on.