BENGALURU: A dispute between two groups of students took a serious turn after a 22-year-old student allegedly called five of his associates from Tamil Nadu and assaulted six students from Kerala. The accused also threatened them with a knife and later robbed them of cash, mobile phones, laptops, and a two-wheeler, all worth Rs 3 lakh.
The incident took place at a rented house in Pavamana Nagar, in the Konanakunte police limits, on April 16. The police arrested all the six accused in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
The accused have been identified as Abinesh (22), a diploma student in mechanical engineering at a private college in the city; Kalaivendhan (20); Vimal Raj (24); Kumaran; Prem Kumar (23); and Naveen Kumar -- all from Mayiladuthurai district in Tamil Nadu. They work in different fields in the private sector, except Abinesh. None of them had any prior criminal records.
The police said that a student from Kerala, studying at a private college and staying at Pavamana Nagar on Kembathalli Main Road, filed a complaint on April 18 that he stays with his six other friends. Around 10.30 pm on April 17, six persons unlawfully entered their house, assaulted them, threatened them with a knife, causing bleeding injuries and robbed them.
The accused allegedly got the victims transfer Rs 10,000 through UPI and fled with four mobile phones, two laptops and a two-wheeler. After registering a dacoity case, the police analysed CCTV footage and other technical evidence, leading to the arrest of the six on April 21.
They confessed to their involvement in the crime during the interrogation, the police said. The preliminary investigation revealed that the attack and robbery were linked to a clash between students from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The prime accused, Abinesh, had called his associates to take revenge against the victims.
Police have seized Rs 10,000 cash, four mobile phones, two laptops and two two-wheelers, including the complainant’s stolen vehicle and another used in the crime.The accused were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.