SURAT, June 21: Kamlesh Vinubhai Patel, a student leader of the city, was stabbed to death by rival students near the flyover at Sumul Dairy Road on Saturday night, the police said, adding that prime accused Dilip Lakhpati Sojitra had since been arrested from his residence in the Bhat Ni Vadi area of the city.
Lakhpati was being interrogated, Inspector S B Rawat of the Mahidharpura police said, adding that three others of the rival groups had also been taken into custody.The attack may have been triggered by the battle for supremacy in the C D Barfiwala College at Ashwini Kumar Road, Rawat said, adding that the accused will be produced before a magistrate tomorrow and the police will apply for a remand, Rawat said.According to sources, Lakhpati and eight of his friends, including Jaggo Katargamwala and Bunty, were standing near a larri below the flyover around 8 p.m. when a group of student leaders, including Patel, Bhagirath Pithwadiwala, Nayan Bhailal, Dakku Pithwadiwala, Pratap, Manish and six others arrived at the spot in a car GJ 5 FF 7077.
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The police later recovered swords, iron pipes, guptis, knives and hockey sticks from the vehicle.An altercation reportedly ensued and the two groups attacked each other.Lakhpati, on finding himself surrounded by members of the rival group, reportedly pulled out a can from the pockets of his trousers and sprayed the contents on them, causing them to choke and their eyes to water. Taking advantage of the distraction, Lakhpati got hold of a large Rampuri knife from among the many weapons o the scene, stabbed Patel and fled the scene.Though the victim was rushed to the the Ashaktashram hospital soon afterwards, he was declared dead on admission, the police said adding that Patel had sustained two gashes, each more than four-inches-long, and, in all probability, had died on the spot itself.
