THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The attack on Akhil Chandran, a third-year student of University College, was consciously planned by SFI unit committee to send a message to students who opposed them. The statement in this regard was given by Akhil himself after doctors of Medical College Hospital allowed the police to record his statement.
Akhil reportedly told the police that it was Sivarenjith who stabbed him while A M Naseem held him to ensure that the attacker did not miss his target. Akhil also said the attackers planned the whole episode two days prior to the incident and there were more than 25 people in the mob that attacked him.
Police sources said the issue started when an SFI woman leader objected to Akhil and his friends singing in the college canteen. Other unit leaders too joined the melee and the rift deepened between the unit members and others.
Akhil’s statement concurs with the FIR submitted by Cantonment Police. Police sources said the attack was planned in advance and was intended to stifle rival voices on campus.SFI unit committee members were afraid that they might lose their grip over students if they did not physically deal with Akhil and his friends. Meanwhile, the doctors who attended to the injured student said the stab wound was deep and ran into the heart’s chamber.
University College principal removed
The principal of University College has been removed in the wake of violent incidents and subsequent recovery of answer sheets of Kerala University from the institution. The Directorate of Collegiate Education relieved K Viswambaran from the charge of principal and appointed C C Babu, who was the principal of Thrissur Government College, in his place.A preliminary probe by the Directorate of Collegiate Education had found lapses on the part of teachers in handling violent incidents in the college.
Accused in police custody
The police on Wednesday got three-days custody of the first and second accused Sivarenjith and Naseem, respectively. However, they were not questioned until noon. Police sources gave a strange reason that because of the protest marches organised by various outfits, they did not get time to grill the accused. Sources said their prime focus would be to glean information from the accused regarding the weapon that was used to commit the crime. If sources are to be believed, the police would be searching a few places on Thursday.