L.R.D. Suresh, 45, principal of Infant Jesus College of Engineering, Keezha Vallanad in Tuticorin district, was fatally attacked with long knives as soon as he got out of his car

In a ghastly incident on Thursday morning, the principal of a private engineering college in Tuticorin district in southern Tamil Nadu was murdered by three students on the campus, apparently as an act of revenge against the suspension of one of them, police said.

L.R.D. Suresh, 45, principal of Infant Jesus College of Engineering, Keezha Vallanad in Tuticorin district, was fatally attacked with long knives as soon as he got out of his car. The suspension of P. Pitchaikannan (21), a final year Aeronautical Engineering student, for his behaviour on and off the college campus, allegedly provoked him to murder the principal, police sources said.

While Pitchaikannan, the prime accused, stabbed the principal in his stomach, his room-mates, G. Danish (21), final year B.Tech. (Information Technology) and M. Prabhakaran (21), third year (Civil Engineering), said to be his room-mates, caused a grievous bleeding injury on his head, the police said. Besides arresting the trio, the police seized the weapons used in the killing.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Pitchaikannan was suspended for five days on Monday following an alleged attack on Athithan, a final year student, over occupying a seat in a bus on October 5. Athithan was attacked on the college premises and outside the campus recently. Pitchaikannan was also irregular in attending classes and laboratory work.

Agitated by the disciplinary measure, Pitchaikannan and his room-mates attacked Dr. Suresh at 8.20 a.m. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.