KOTTIYAM: It has come to light that a youth was stabbed to death at Kottiyam junction during the festival procession in a pre-planned attack. Police say that the youth was murdered out of vengeance that had stemmed from a scuffle that happened between two groups of students during a school youth festival.

The dead has been identified as Kollam Mylapore native Noufal (19). The tussle between students that led to the murder happened last December at an unaided school at Mylapore in Kollam in between the school anniversary celebration.

Shavas (18) who was also attacked along with Noufal is under treatment in a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. As he had sustained injuries, he was subjected to two surgeries. Now he is out of danger.

The arrested persons in connection with the case are Tenth standard student and the victims’ friend Ajmal (18) from Perayam and another tenth standard student.

The murder happened on Sunday. The locals caught the main accused and handed him over to the police in that night itself.

After months of planning, the accused had bought the knife used for murder through online.

On Sunday evening at around 5:30, the accused had threatened the victims and at around 7:30 pm, they committed the crime. The accused handed over the knife to their friend in the nearby shop and escaped.