Class 8 student attacks friend with sickle after tiff over pencil

A class 8 student in Palayamkottai in this district was injured on Monday after his classmate attacked him using a sickle following a tiff over a pencil, police said.

The victim suffered "minor cut injuries in 2-3 places," and his condition was "normal," a senior police official said. A teacher who tried to intervene also suffered a minor injury.

They are receiving treatment at a private hospital.

The two boys had a quarrel recently over sharing a pencil and they were not on talking terms for sometime.

On Tuesday, one of them brought the weapon "hid inside his school bag," and attacked the other, he said, adding, the former would be handed over to the child welfare committee as per legal procedures.

Relatives of the victim expressed concern over a class 8 student bringing a sickle to the school with a 'motive' to carry out the attack.