Chennai, Apr 15: A Class 8 student from a matriculation higher secondary school at Palayamkottai in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district sustained multiple injuries after he was allegedly attacked by a classmate with a machete on Tuesday, who later surrendered in police station.

The shocking incident reportedly stemmed from a quarrel over a pencil that occurred two months ago.

The attack took place around 10 a.m. within the school premises. According to police, the two students had been frequently quarreling since the initial disagreement, and the tensions escalated dramatically on Tuesday.

The accused student brought a machete to school and attacked his classmate, inflicting serious injuries to the head, shoulders, and hands.

In a courageous attempt to protect the victim, the class teacher, identified as Revathi (44), also sustained injuries on her hands.

Both the injured student and the teacher were rushed to a private hospital, where their condition is reported to be stable.

Following the incident, the accused student walked to the nearby Palayamkottai police station -- just 200 meters from the school -- carrying the machete and surrendered himself to the authorities.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Tirunelveli East) Vinodh Shantharam and Palayamkottai Inspector of Police Thillai Nagarajan visited the school and launched an investigation into the incident.

While the pencil-related dispute was cited as the immediate trigger, school sources indicated that the attack may have been linked to a complex love affair involving some students.

This incident has sent shockwaves through the academic community and law enforcement, especially as it comes just a month after a similar violent episode.

On March 9, a Class 11 student from Srivaikundam in the neighbouring Thoothukudi district was brutally attacked by a group of three while on his way to appear for a public examination. The student suffered deep injuries to the spine and skull and remains under treatment.

In another disturbing case from August 2023, a Scheduled Caste Class 11 student and his sister were attacked in their home in Nanguneri, Tirunelveli district, by schoolmates belonging to an intermediate caste.

These recurring incidents prompted the Tamil Nadu government to appoint a special committee headed by retired Justice K. Chandru to examine and recommend measures to prevent violence in schools.

Notably, in April 2022, a Class 12 student from a government school near Cheranmahadevi lost his life after being attacked with stones by juniors during a dispute over the wearing of a ‘caste band'.

As investigations continue, there is growing concern over the rise in student-related violence in Tamil Nadu’s schools, prompting urgent calls for reform and preventive measures.

(IANS)

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