Bengaluru: A 17-year-old college student was allegedly stabbed in the neck by a family friend after he confronted her for skipping classes to watch a movie with her friends in Bengaluru’s Cottonpet. The girl, who sustained serious injuries, was admitted to hospital and is now recovering.

The accused, identified as Afsar (30), who runs a grocery shop, was known to the victim’s family for nearly three decades and had reportedly been acting as her guardian for educational purposes.

Dispute began over college absenteeism

According to the complaint filed by the girl’s father, a welder, the teenager, a second-year PU science student at a private college in Rajajinagar, skipped classes on July 25 to watch Tamil actor and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay’s film Jana Nayagan with her friends.

After learning that several students had bunked classes, the college informed both the girl’s father and Afsar, whose name had been listed as her guardian during the admission process.

Police said Afsar visited the college on July 28 to verify the incident. Later that night, around 10 p.m., he allegedly waited outside the girl’s residence in Siddarthanagar on Dr TCM Royan Road. The teenager stepped outside to speak with him.

Girl attacked during argument

Around 30 minutes later, family members rushed outside after hearing the girl’s screams and found her bleeding profusely from a deep neck injury. She was taken to a nearby private hospital before being shifted to another hospital for further treatment. She has since been discharged.

The victim told her family that Afsar questioned her about skipping college. During the argument, he allegedly became enraged, attacked her with a knife and fled the scene.

Police register case

Based on the father’s complaint, the Cottonpet Police registered a case under Section 118 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons) and relevant provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Police detained Afsar the following day. However, a senior police officer said the victim’s family had requested that he not be arrested as both families had shared a close relationship for many years and wished to settle the matter amicably.

Despite the family’s request, police said legal proceedings would continue and a chargesheet would be filed in accordance with the law.