A 19-year-old youth was fatally stabbed by a five-member gang in Triplicane on Wednesday, after he allegedly confronted them over the theft of his mobile phone. The deceased was identified as Ajay, a resident of Ram Nagar in Triplicane.

The Ice House police arrested all five accused and altered the case from attempt to murder to murder following the victim’s death.

The police said Ajay was attacked by the accused near his residence. They inflicted multiple injuries on his chest, neck and back, with knives and machetes, and fled the scene on two-wheelers.

Ajay was initially admitted to the Government Royapettah Hospital, and later shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for advanced treatment. However, he succumbed to his injuries later that day.

Following an investigation, the Icehouse police arrested the accused identified as Dhanush, 20; ‘Thavakkalai’ Rajkumar, 23; Karthi, 19; ‘Poondu’ Mukesh; 19, and Kameswaran, 28, all residents of Hanumanthapuram in Triplicane.

Inquiries revealed that Dhanush and Rajkumar allegedly stole Ajay’s mobile phone at the Marina Beach on the night of May 17. On discovering the theft, Ajay reportedly went to the accused person’s residence and demanded that they return his phone. Angered by this confrontation, the accused, along with their associates, attacked Ajay near his house, the police said.

After Ajay’s death, the police altered the case from attempt to murder to murder. All the five accused were produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.