A 24-year-old student on his way to college on Monday was brutally assaulted by unidentified assailants at the Kottupuram MRTS station.
Tyron Michael from Tondiarpet is a second-year Master of Social Work (MSW) student at the Patrician College of Arts and Science, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar.
At 8.15 a.m. on Monday, when he got off the train with his friends, two unidentified persons whipped out knives and stabbed him in the face and thigh.
The assailants fled the scene despite attempts by his friends to nab them. Later, his friends called a 108 ambulance and rushed him to the government hospital at Royapettah.
A senior official at the hospital said Michael was brought in at 9.05 a.m. with cuts on his right cheek, left forehead and left thigh. He was conscious.
“His injuries required suturing, and the patient said that he would like to go to the Government Stanley Hospital to be treated by a plastic surgeon there. He left around 11 a.m. as per his request,” the official said.
A senior doctor at the Government Stanley Hospital said Mr. Michael was in a stable condition and had been examined by doctors. “A plastic surgeon will now treat him,” he said.
Initial investigations revealed that the assault happened after an argument and the victim seemed to know his attackers. According to sources, the assault could be the result of a dispute over his friendship with another student.
Anonymous calls
He had received anonymous threat calls a few days ago when he and his classmates were on a study trip to Hyderabad.
According to the college management, Mr. Michael had informed the Principal of these calls and an enquiry committee, comprising professors, had been set up. The college said he had been advised not to come to college for some days, but he had not paid heed.
M. Ravichandran, Principal, said, “We will fully cooperate with the police in finding out the motive behind the assault and in arresting the assailants in the case.”
A senior police officer said the Government Railway Police, in coordination with the Railway Protection Force, had stepped up vigil in railway stations.
