Students said Monday’s incident of stabbing hasn’t surprised them because many of them, belonging to various gangs, carry knives. There are several gangs in this school, with members ranging from 15 to 30.

As a student put it, “You mess with one member of the gang, and the whole gang messes with you.”

There are four major gangs in this school -- the hostel gang, the Manipuri gang, the Sadar Bazar gang and the one led by Deepanshu. The most notorious is the Sadar Bazar gang, with the hostel gang coming in a close second. The hostel keeps students above Class VI, and this gang outnumbers all others.

Residents in the area said noisy fights in the hostel are a regular feature. “I stay in a building adjacent to the school. I don’t think anybody senior keeps an eye on the boys,” said neighbour Santosh Singh. However, fights among students staying in the hostel are restricted within its premises. “Outside, they are all friends,” a student said.