At times, close friendships can turn into bitter rivalries, and unless resolved with maturity, such conflicts can linger for years. The same holds true for relationships — where those who once promised to stay together may part ways, sometimes leading to actions that hurt one another.
In one such incident, a youth named Jins (21) from Cheruthoni in Idukki was allegedly attacked and stabbed by his former girlfriend and her associates.
The accused include Anu (22) from Palakkad, along with her friends Athul Kumar S (24) of Komalapuram in Alappuzha, Abhijith (25) of Mavelikkara, and Yadhu Krishnan (24) of Chokli in Kannur.
The incident occurred around 6am on April 14. Jins was preparing to leave for morning mass at a nearby church in Cheruthoni when he received a call from Anu. She allegedly told him she was in town and urgently wanted to meet.
Jins reached the location within minutes. There, he noticed a taxi parked nearby. Instead of a private meeting, three men stepped out of the car along with Anu and approached him. What began as a conversation soon escalated into a heated argument.
During the scuffle, Athul allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Jins on his left shoulder. Soon after, Abhijith and Yadhu allegedly fled on Jins’s motorcycle. Athul and Anu followed them in the car.
Based on the victim’s complaint, the police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges of attempt to commit culpable homicide, use of obscene words in public, wrongful restraint, and robbery, says a police officer.
“It is learnt that the victim and the accused were known to each other. The woman had reportedly lent around `60,000 to the victim for purchasing the motorcycle,” the officer adds.
“When he failed to repay the amount, it led to a dispute. She later sought the help of her friends to mediate the issue, but the situation escalated.”
Further investigation suggests the alleged attack stemmed from resentment following a failed relationship.
According to a senior officer at the police station in Cheruthoni, Anu and Jins met about one-and-a-half years ago while working at a private firm in Ernakulam. “Their professional association soon turned into a romantic relationship, and the two later moved in together in Kochi,” he says.
During this period, Anu gave Jins `60,000 as “birthday gift” to buy an adventure bike that cost over `2 lakh.
“Subsequently, the relationship deteriorated after Jins grew close to another woman. That led to frequent disputes. Anu demanded that he return the money she had spent on the motorcycle,” the officer says.
“Jins refused, claiming that it was a gift. He argued that financial exchanges during a relationship should not be reclaimed after a breakup.”
Anu, who had moved to another workplace, reportedly confided in her colleagues. Together, they allegedly planned to recover the motorcycle, if not the money.
The accused were later produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody. Jins, who sustained injuries in the attack, has been discharged from hospital.