Student held for trying to attack teen with machete

K Sridharan (19) of Arakkonam, a second-year undergraduate student of Nandanam Arts College, came to MGR Chennai Central railway station after college on Saturday afternoon. He was accompanied by his friends Nagaraj and Tulasi Ram. When they were about to enter the Central station, a group of men chased them with a machete in an attempt to attack Sridharan. According to sources, Sridharan ran away from the spot. Meanwhile, the police personnel on duty there noticed the group and chased and nabbed them. One of them with a machete was secured and taken to the police station. A one-and-half feet long machete was seized from him.

The youth was identified as M Shahul Hamid (21) of Ponneri, a second-year UG student of New College in Royapettah. Investigation revealed there was a previous enmity between two gangs of students over ‘route thala’ for an MTC route (No 18) which led to the incident on Saturday. Shahul Hamid was remanded in judicial custody and the police have launched a hunt for his friends who was part of the gang.