Teen stabbed to death amid clash near Thycaud in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a shocking incident, a 19-year-old was stabbed to death after he intervened in a clash that broke out between a group of youngsters on Monday near the Shri Dharma Shastha Temple at Thycaud. The deceased has been identified as Alen, a resident of D-47, Thoppu, near Aristo Junction. Cantonment Police have taken four youths into custody following the incident. The incident took place around 5 pm. According to the police, about 30 youngsters had gathered near the temple after an argument broke out during a football match. Students from the Model School, teenagers from Jagathy and Rajaji Nagar often play together in the Model School ground. While they were playing on Monday, an argument escalated into a fight. Alen reached the spot with his friends to calm both sides, yet the situation turned violent. He suffered a single stab wound on the left side of his chest, reportedly inflicted with a pocket knife. The injury caused severe internal bleeding and damaged his heart. Two youths who were present but not involved in the fight took him on a scooter and rushed him to the General Hospital, but he succumbed to the injuries. Police said the group fled the area through a narrow lane behind the temple that opens to the main road near Sastha Gardens A Block. The location is usually busy as it lies close to C V Raman Pillai Road, the police training ground, and several houses. Residents heard the commotion and alerted the police soon after. Alens family had moved from Manikanteswaram in Peroorkada to a rented house near Aristo Junction six months ago. He had returned to the city three months ago after pursuing a job-oriented course in Kochi. His mother Manju works as a housemaid. The family had already suffered a tragedy a year ago with the death of his sister Andrea. The body has been shifted to the Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination. Police have intensified efforts to identify and locate those involved in the fight. Further investigation is under way.