Townhall Times, New Delhi
Reporter: Bhavika Kalra
It happened late at night, in that quiet stretch of time when students are usually winding down for the day. Instead of sleep, the Government Polytechnic Hostel area was filled with screams and the sound of running feet.
1. How the Night Spiraled Out of Control
The victim was just 22. He was in his second year, the kind of guy who was already looking at campus placements and technical projects. He had a future.
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The Spark: Police say it didn’t start with a weapon. It started with words. Earlier in the evening, there was a verbal spat between the victim and a group of guys he actually knew. These weren’t strangers; they were acquaintances.
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The Ambush: The argument didn’t end with a “see you tomorrow.” It simmered. Later that night, outside the hostel premises, the group confronted him again. This time, they didn’t come to talk. They came with sharp weapons.
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The Result: He was stabbed multiple times. By the time bystanders and other students rushed to help, he had already collapsed. He died before he even reached the hospital bed.
2. The Manhunt and the ‘Fast-Track’ Arrests
Latur Police knew they couldn’t let this sit. If they didn’t act fast, student protests would have shut the city down by morning.
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The Takedown: Within hours, the police rounded up four suspects. They used CCTV footage from nearby shops and hostel gates to pin down who was there.
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The Charges: The FIR is heavy. We’re talking Section 302 (Murder) and Unlawful Assembly.
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The Motive: While the cops are still digging, the word on campus is that this was a “personal rivalry.” Whether it was over money, a social media spat, or just an ego clash, it ended in the most permanent way possible.
3. A Campus in Mourning (and Fear)
The polytechnic college didn’t even try to hold classes today. A candlelight vigil was held, but the flickering flames couldn’t hide the fear in the students’ eyes.
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The ‘Security Gap’: If you talk to anyone in the hostel today, they’ll tell you the same thing: “We don’t feel safe.” * The Failures: Government hostels in Maharashtra often have broken lights, gates that don’t lock properly, and security guards who are either outnumbered or under-trained. The students are now demanding biometric entries and 24/7-armed guards.
4. The Bigger Picture: Why is Youth Violence Spiking?
This isn’t just a Latur problem. Across the state, we’re seeing a terrifying trend where small “ego” disputes among 20-year-olds end in stabbings.
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The Factors: Experts are pointing to a lack of mental health support on campuses. There is no “middle ground”—disputes go from 0 to 100 in minutes.
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The Need: Students are asking for mandatory counseling and “Conflict Mediation Cells” so that an argument in the afternoon doesn’t become a murder at night.
5. What’s the Next Move for Justice?
The four accused are in a lockup tonight, being interrogated. The police are tracing their phone records to see if this was a “hit” they planned throughout the day or a heat-of-the-moment tragedy.
The family is devastated. They didn’t send their son to Latur to get an MBA just to pick up his body from a morgue. They are demanding a fast-track court so that the trial doesn’t drag on for a decade.
The Bottom Line (Feb 18, 2026)
The city of Latur is waiting to see if the government actually fixes the hostels or if they just wait for the headlines to die down. For now, there’s a heavy police presence around all major colleges to prevent any retaliatory violence.
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