COIMBATORE: Chettipalayam police arrested a 19-year-old engineering student for allegedly chopping off the fingers of another student during a dispute over road rage on Monday. According to police, M Mahendran (22), a final year mechanical engineering student from a private college at Pappampatti Pirivu, lives in Thamaraikulam near Kinathukadavu, was returning home from college on his bike with his friend Kishore on Monday evening, when a group of students from another engineering college at Malumichampatti overtook him in a rash and reckless manner. An argument broke out between the two sides over this and Mahendran went away.
Around 11 pm, Mahendran was returning from a hotel in Othakkalmandapam when it started to rain, following which he took shelter under a flyover on the Coimbatore - Pollachi road. He saw the same group of students were also taking shelter there. A quarrel ensued, during which one of the students assaulted Mahendran with an empty beer bottle.
He also slashed Mahendran’s fingers with a knife, severing two fingers on his right hand and one finger on his left hand. The students sped away after the attack, police said. On being informed, family members reached the spot and admitted Mahendran to a private hospital in Singanallur.
Efforts are underway to restore his fingers. Chettipalayam police arrested A Maria Dinesh (19) of Thoothukudi, a third-year engineering student in connection with the incident using CCTV footage and information provided by the victim. Two special teams are trying to arrest the other students.