The victim, S Ashwin (22), was attacked by the teenager and his friend, S Madesh (21), a driver from Sakthi Nagar in Sikkalampalayam, in the early hours of Thursday.

According to the police, Ashwin had gone to the residence of his friend Vignesh’s grandmother in Sakthi Nagar after work on Wednesday and stayed there overnight. The two suspects allegedly entered the house in the early hours when Ashwin was asleep alone in a room and attacked him.

Police said Ashwin had earlier questioned the 16-year-old about his decision to discontinue his studies and advised him to focus on his education. After the murder, the accused allegedly recorded a video at the scene and circulated it among their friends. Police said Ashwin was rushed to the Coimbatore Government Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), where doctors declared him dead. His body was later sent for post-mortem examination.

Coimbatore District Superintendent of Police A Pavan Kumar Reddy visited the crime scene and supervised the investigation. Three special teams have been formed to trace and arrest the absconding suspects. Police officials said the exact motive behind the crime and the sequence of events leading to the murder would be established only after the accused are apprehended and questioned.