Class 8 Student Assaults Classmate with Machete in TN, Surrenders to Police

Chennai, April 15 (NationPress) A Class 8 student from a matriculation higher secondary school located in Palayamkottai, within the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, suffered multiple injuries after being reportedly attacked by a classmate wielding a machete on Tuesday. The assailant later surrendered to the police.

The alarming incident allegedly originated from a quarrel over a pencil that occurred two months prior.

The attack unfolded around 10 a.m. on school grounds. Authorities stated that the two students had been embroiled in frequent disagreements since the original incident, with tensions escalating significantly on Tuesday.

The accused student brought a machete to school and attacked the victim, causing severe injuries to the head, shoulders, and hands.

In a brave effort to shield the victim, the class teacher, identified as Revathi (44), also suffered injuries to her hands.

Both the injured student and the teacher were immediately taken to a private hospital, where their conditions are reported as stable.

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

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

While the dispute over the pencil was cited as the immediate cause, school sources suggested that the attack may be linked to a complex romantic involvement among some students.

This incident has caused significant concern within the academic community and law enforcement, particularly as it follows a similar violent episode just a month prior.

On March 9, a Class 11 student from Srivaikundam in the nearby Thoothukudi district was brutally assaulted by a group of three while heading to a public examination. The student sustained deep injuries to the spine and skull and is currently undergoing treatment.

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

These recurring incidents have led the Tamil Nadu government to form a special committee, led by retired Justice K. Chandru, to investigate and recommend measures aimed at preventing violence in schools.

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

As investigations proceed, there is rising concern regarding the increase in student-related violence in Tamil Nadu’s schools, leading to urgent calls for reform and preventive strategies.