Thiruvananthapuram: The police have arrested the first accused R Sivarenjith and second accused NN Naseem have been arrested along with four others in the University College student stabbing case.
The SFI unit president and secretary respectively, were nabbed from an auto-rickshaw at 3 am on Monday. They were headed to the Kallara area in Thiruvanathapuram.
Meanwhile, the police confirmed that they have evidence to show that Sivarenjith stabbed Akhil in the commotion that occured at the University College last week. Wounds inflicted by knife has been found in his hands. Other accused have also given statements that they saw blood stains in Sivarenjith's and Naseem's hands.
The FIR clearly states that Sivarenjith is responsible for stabbing Akhil. The victim had earlier stated that Sivarenjith who led a gang of 20 member SFI gang stabbed him. Other witnessses have also given statement to this effect.
Earlier, Kerala university answer sheets and Physical Education Director's fake seal were discovered from Sivarenjith's residence at Karthika Nagar in Attukal during a search conducted by the police.
Three SFI activists-Aromal, Adwaith and Adhil-among the eight accused of attempt-to-murder of Akhil, a student at the college had been arrested on Sunday after they surrendered at the police station. Police had put out a look out notice for the other four.
Ijab, a member of the SFI students' union committee and native of Nemam, is already under police custody.
Akhil, a final-year degree student, is a member of the local committee of the SFI at Attukal.
Kodiyeri meets Akhil
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan strongly condemned the attack on a student at University College. "SFI went wrong and need to make corrections," Kodiyeri said after meeting Akhil at the hospital.
He also said that the party will not protect any of the accused and demanded the police should take swift action.
Cops diffident
Though the Cantonment Police has filed cases against 30 persons, including the eight main accused, the police are yet to even inspect their houses or the CPM office, the students' centre and the University hostel frequented by them.
Amid the probe it has come to light that the cops are reluctant to search CPM office in search of the suspects yet to be traced. The cops fear that they would earn the party wrath as in the case of DCP Chaitra Teresa John. She was transferred after conducting a search at the CPM district committee office early this year to nab a few DYFI activists who were accused in an assault case against a police sub-inspector.
Despite the students informing the cops that one of the accused was passing by the Secretariat on a bike on Saturday afternoon, they are yet to even check the surveillance camera footage.
Delay in timely police action is meanwhile blamed for the latest incident of hooliganism on the campus. It is said the police stayed put outside, refusing to enter the campus to arrest the accused on Friday itself.
The college students said the principal did not call the police when it was clear the situation was tense.
A minor altercation among students over singing in the canteen of the University College flared up into a full-blown campus fight on Friday leading to the stabbing of Akhil.
The probe team returned after reaching Powdikonam in search of the accused on Saturday, sources said.
The city police commissioner stated the case is being probed by a DCP who is in-charge of law and order. The commissioner had sent a message through the wireless system to immediately arrest the accused.
SFI unit disbanded
Meanwhile, SFI Kerala president Sachin Dev said that its unit at the University College has been disbanded and disciplinary action has been taken against its members over the violence.
Principal K Vishwambharan said that the accused students will be suspended from the college.
