Chennai (Tamil Nadu), September 28: M. Swetha, a 20-year-old college student, was stabbed to death by a youth near Tambaram railway station in Chennai.

The 25-year-old assailant, G. Ramachandran, also tried to harm himself with the same weapon, a kitchen knife, but was overpowered by locals and handed him over to the police. On further investigations, it was revealed that the couple was in a strained relationship.

A student of Madras Christian College, Swetha, was accosted by Ramachandran while she was on her way to the railway station, en route to Chromepet, her residence, said a police officer familiar with the case.

The officer also said that during investigations, the assailant recounted that he was working at a private company at Maraimalai Nagar and said that he and Swetha became friends while traveling on the suburban train.

However, a few weeks ago, the girl stopped meeting him and did not respond to his phone calls. On the day of the incident, he wanted to know why she was not giving her attention for some days which led to a verbal spat between the two. This is when he took out the knife and stabbed her.

He was arrested and admitted to a local hospital.