KOZHIKODE: A parking dispute involving college students escalated into violence on Saturday night, resulting in the death of a 20-year-old man near Palakkottuvayal in Mayanad. The deceased is Sooraj, of Ambalakandi, who was working at a car service centre in Chevarambalam.
According to initial reports, the confrontation began as a minor dispute between senior and junior students of Chathamangalam SNES College, where Sooraj’s friends are studying. Friends say that Sooraj intervened to help resolve the argument and was subsequently attacked.
Police have arrested Manoj Kumar Perayottil, 50, a Chelavoor resident, along with his two sons, Vijay, 19, and Ajay, 20, as the main suspects, along with six others–Ananthu Krishna, 20, Aswin Shankar, 18, Yadukrishna, 20, Abhishanth, 21, Vijay Krishna, 21, and Nihal, 20. Another accused, who is a minor, was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.
The conflict traces back to an argument that erupted between Aswanth, a first-year student, and Vijay, a second-year student, at the college. Later that night, during a festival at Thiruthiyad temple in Chevayur, tensions flared again, leading to a violent altercation between Aswanth’s and Vijay’s gangs.
“There was an ongoing dispute between Aswanth and Vijay at college. Vijay’s father, Manoj Kumar, intervened and brought outside individuals to retaliate. Sooraj, being a close friend and relative of Aswanth, was targeted when he attempted to intervene, which ultimately led to his death,” Medical College ACP A Umesh said.
Sooraj suffered severe injuries from the brutal beating by a gang of approximately 15 individuals. He was rushed to Kozhikode MCH, but could not be saved.