TVM teen hid knife in bag & sat through school hours, stabbed 16-yr-old over class 10 grudge

It was another routine evening after school hours for Asha Sony, principal of P R William Higher Secondary School in Kattakkada, when a phone call from the police shattered the calm. Officers informed her that a Plus Two student from her school had stabbed another teenager less than an hour after classes had ended. The incident, which took place just outside the school premises on Thursday evening, has left the school administration and local community in shock.

According to Kattakkada police, the accused, a 16-year-old Plus Two student of the school, attacked Ijaz, also 16 and a resident of Vazhimukku in Balaramapuram, with a knife he had allegedly carried in his school bag throughout the day. Cops say the attack stemmed from a long-standing grudge dating back nearly two years.

The stabbing occurred around 4.45 pm, shortly after school had closed for the day. "It was a completely normal day. Neither teachers nor classmates noticed any behavioural changes or signs of aggression in him," said principal Asha Sony. "He has been studying here for over a year, attached to the Humanities branch. He is an average student with no history of disciplinary issues. We have never received any complaints regarding violent behaviour either," she recounted.

"The school operations end by 4.30 pm. Since the incident happened after school hours, staff members and students had already left. We only came to know about it after the police contacted us," Asha Sony said. Expressing disbelief, the principal added that the area around the school is usually busy, with a bus stand and a college nearby. "We still cannot understand why they would engage in such a serious criminal act in broad daylight and in a public place," she noted.

Ijaz sustained serious injuries in the attack and underwent surgery. He remains under medical observation. The accused, who is also a native of Balaramapuram, is currently absconding.

Police said the motive can be traced to a quarrel between the two boys in Class 10 at the same school. "The accused had earlier assaulted and verbally abused a friend of Ijaz named Ashid during the vacation after class 10. After learning about the incident, Ijaz called the accused and questioned him over his behaviour," said an officer from the Kattakkada police station. Cops believe the confrontation eventually led to a lasting enmity between the two. Ijaz and Ashid are currently Plus Two students at a school in Chala, Thiruvananthapuram.

Police say that the accused had planned the attack in advance. "He had brought the knife in his school bag. After classes ended, he spotted Ijaz and Ashid standing opposite the school and approached them," an officer said. The accused allegedly initiated a conversation that soon escalated into a scuffle. During the altercation, he pulled out the knife and lunged at Ijaz while shouting, "I will kill you."

Police said the attack appeared to be aimed at Ijaz's chest, but the knife struck the right side of his abdomen instead, causing a deep wound. The accused fled immediately after the stabbing. "The boys were standing near a roadside wall, away from shops. Local residents noticed the commotion and rushed to help. An autorickshaw driver assisted in taking the injured boy to the hospital," the officer said.

Ijaz was admitted to Neyyar Medicity Hospital in Kattakkada, where he underwent emergency surgery. Police said witness statements have helped establish the sequence of events, but the accused and the knife he used remain untraceable. "Search operations are continuing, and we expect to apprehend him soon. Since both the accused and the victim are juveniles, the case requires careful handling," the officer added.

The accused has been booked under Sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt using dangerous weapons or means), and 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).