The Ervadi police in Tirunelveli district on Thursday (September 25, 2025) detained for questioning a Class 9 student from a government-aided higher secondary school near Valliyoor for allegedly attacking a classmate with a machete following a quarrel over a minor issue.The police said on Wednesday (September 24, 2025), the victim, a teenage boy belonging to a Scheduled Caste community from Sankarankovil in Tenkasi district, who is an inmate of the school hostel, had allegedly made abusive remarks against the father of a classmate from an intermediate caste.“After the victim reportedly saw a tobacco product in the bag of his classmate on Wednesday, he threatened to share this information with the teacher. As it led to argument, the former abused him and his father that further escalated the confrontation,” a source in the police said.The two boys were pacified by other students and teachers. However, on Thursday (September 25, 2025), the boy from the intermediate caste reportedly brought a machete to school and attacked the boy inside the classroom, causing an injury to his back. When another intermediate caste student of the same class tried to save the victim from the attack, he also sustained minor cut injury in a finger.They were rushed to a nearby private hospital. The victim received six sutures to stop the bleeding.Upon being informed of the incident by the school administration, the Ervadi police arrived and picked up the alleged attacker. The victim was discharged after treatment and later brought to the police station for inquiry.Further investigations are under way. Published - September 25, 2025 01:37 pm IST