Police in Patiala, Punjab  say they have solved the murder of a fourth-year government medical college student with the arrest of the victim’s childhood friend, following nearly 49 hours of continuous investigation by three special police teams.

Senior police officials identified the accused as Mohit Verma, who is alleged to have fatally stabbed Kamaldeep Mittal more than 28 times during an attack on Monday.

According to police, Verma allegedly confessed during preliminary questioning that he had failed to return between 1.2 million and 1.3 million rupees borrowed from the victim. Investigators said the accused was also demanding additional money from Mittal, and tensions escalated after the victim asked for his money back.

Police said technical evidence and material collected during the investigation helped officers trace and arrest the suspect.

The investigation remains ongoing.