Police have arrested five persons, including a juvenile, in connection with the murder of the 22-year-old youth here on September 6, Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Nanak Singh said on Monday.

The SSP informed that Karan was stabbed to death for messaging a female friend of Ansh, the prime accused, on social media. “Ansh had got his friends to attack Karan. The arrested accused admitted to the crime during interrogation. We have recovered the murder weapon, a knife, and seized two motorcycles which were used in the crime,” the SSP added.

Karan was attacked around 6:30pm on thePatiala-Ablowal Road while he was returning home with his friend on a bike on September 6. The assailants had surrounded Karan, who was riding pillion, and pulled him down on the road. They first thrashed him and then repeatedly stabbed him. Karan’s friend managed to escape unharmed. The incident was captured on a CCTV installed in the area.

The police arrested Yuvraj and Amanmeet on September 7, while the three were nabbed on September 8.

Nanak mentioned that three of the five accused – Ansh, Amanmeet and Tarunkurpal — already have cases registered against them under different sections, including attempt to murder. Except for the juvenile, the four arrested persons are Intermediate pass.

The Patiala crime investigation agency (CIA) in-charge Shaminder Singh said that the murder weapon was purchased from a gift shop. “The knife used in the crime was very sharp. In fact, it was only one stab in the chest that killed Karan. It was purchased from a gift shop,” he added.

The Patiala Police have registered a case under Section 103(1), whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine; Section 191(3), someone who is guilty of rioting while armed with a deadly weapon or something that can be used as a weapon of offense to cause death can be punished with: Imprisonment for up to five years, A fine, and Both imprisonment and a fine and Section 190, every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object, of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the five arrested accused.