THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police on Friday recovered the knife used by an SFI leader to stab Akhil Chandran, a third-year student of University College. It was found hidden in a waste pit near the main entrance of the college.
An iron rod and a wooden rod used to attack students were also recovered from the campus. The police said after stabbing Akhil near the SFI unit committee office, Sivarenjith tried to flee on Naseem’s bike.
However, when they reached the main gate, they spotted the police and students who had gathered outside. It was then that they hid the knife near the parking lot and left the place. The foldable knife can be concealed in the trouser pocket.
It was Sivarenjith who showed the police the knife. They believe it is crucial in proving the crime in court.
Cantonment SHO M Anilkumar said Sivarenjith admitted to purchasing the knife from an online platform. The knife was purchased a week before the stabbing and was meant to deal with students opposed to the unit committee, he said.
A police source said tension was prevailing on campus between the unit members and a section of students. “While purchasing the weapon, they knew a clash was imminent. The knife was bought just to deal with the rival group. This proves that the attack was pre-meditated,” said a police officer.
The two accused were brought to the college in handcuffs to recover the weapons. However, there are allegations that the police are soft-pedalling the case.