Mizoram student stabbed to death in Kerala, batchmate arrested

A 22-year-old BTech student from Mizoram was stabbed to death near his college in Thiruvananthapuram. The deceased, Valentine, was a student at Rajadhani Institute of Engineering & Technology, Nagaroor. 

According to the police, a batchmate, also from Mizoram, has been taken into custody in connection with the incident.

The attack occurred around 10.30 p.m. on Saturday (February 22) at a junction about 200 meters from the college. Locals alerted the authorities, and the injured student was initially taken to a nearby hospital before being shifted to KIMS Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday morning.

Preliminary investigations suggest that an altercation between the two students may have led to the stabbing. Local sources reported that both the victim and the suspect were involved in frequent disputes, often after consuming alcohol. Due to previous incidents, both had been expelled from the college hostel.

Police confirmed that the suspect was detained at the crime scene and that further investigation is underway.

Campus violence has been a growing concern in Kerala, with several incidents of student clashes turning fatal. While most cases stem from political rivalries, there have also been instances of personal conflicts leading to violence.

In recent years, three major student murders have shaken Kerala. Abhimanyu, an SFI leader from Kochi’s Maharaja’s College, was stabbed to death, allegedly by members of the banned Islamic fundamentalist 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 Wayanad’s Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University died in an alleged ragging incident involving SFI activists.

According to official data 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 report revealed that SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M), and KSU, the Congress-affiliated student body, were responsible for most of these cases. Of the total criminal cases reported, 270 cases involved SFI activists, and 112 cases involved KSU activists.

The remaining cases were linked to ABVP, MSF, AISF, and Campus Front activists. A total of 3,183 students have been booked in various cases over the past nine years, reflecting the growing unrest in educational institutions across Kerala.

As the investigation into Valentine’s murder continues, authorities are examining the circumstances that led to the fatal confrontation. The incident highlights the persistent issue of campus violence in Kerala, raising concerns about student safety and law enforcement on college premises.