Thiruvananthapuram: A 22-year-old BTech student from Mizoram, identified as Valentine, was fatally stabbed near his college in Thiruvananthapuram. He was a student at Rajadhani Institute of Engineering & Technology, Nagaroor.

The attack took place around 10.30 p.m. on Saturday at a junction approximately 200 metres from the college. Locals alerted the authorities, and Valentine was rushed to a nearby hospital before being transferred to KIMS Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday morning.

According to the police, a batchmate of Valentine, also from Mizoram, has been taken into custody in connection with the murder. Initial investigations indicate that a dispute between the two students may have escalated into violence.

Sources suggest that both the victim and the suspect had a history of conflicts, often occurring after alcohol consumption. Due to previous incidents, both had been expelled from the college hostel. Police confirmed that the suspect was detained at the crime scene, and further investigations are underway.

How prevalent is campus violence in Kerala?
Kerala has witnessed several incidents of student clashes turning fatal in recent years. While many cases stem from political rivalries, personal conflicts have also resulted in violent altercations.

Three major student murders have shaken the state in recent years. Abhimanyu, an SFI leader from Maharaja’s College in Kochi, was stabbed to death, allegedly by members of the banned outfit Popular Front’s student wing, Campus Front. P. Dheeraj, an SFI leader from Idukki Engineering College, was fatally stabbed, allegedly by KSU activists. K.S. Sidharthan of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Wayanad lost his life in an alleged ragging incident involving SFI activists.

What does official data reveal?
According to figures presented in the Kerala State Assembly, campus violence has surged since 2016. Between May 2016 and June 2024, police registered 500 cases of student-related violence, including three murders. The data shows that SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M), and KSU, affiliated with the Congress, were responsible for most cases.

Of the total reported incidents, 270 cases involved SFI activists, while 112 cases were linked to KSU members. The remaining cases were attributed to ABVP, MSF, AISF, and Campus Front activists. Over the past nine years, 3,183 students have been booked in various cases, reflecting the rising unrest within Kerala’s educational institutions.

With IANS inputs