A man stabbed a pupil in a fight over a girl at Dubai Mall, Dubai Criminal Court heard on Sunday.
According to court records, the Emirati pupil, 17, and his female friend were at the mall together on April 20 when the accused approached them and asked to speak with him outside.
The pair went outside with the accused, who had gathered some of his friends.
"We were met by a group of nearly six men who asked me which school I attended" the pupil said.
His friend tried to pull him away but three of the men took him aside to resume their discussion.
"Then one of them took out a knife and stabbed my friend in the waist," the girl told the court.
The pupil ran back into the mall and collapsed. It is unclear what happened to the girl or who called police but the teenage boy was taken to hospital in an ambulance.
Police identified three of the attackers, including the one accused of the stabbing, from CCTV. They arrested them in Al Quoz.
During questioning, the trio admitted the fight was over a girl but no further details were released in court records.
"One of them said he was not involved in the stabbing but that he stepped in to prevent the problem from escalating," a policeman said.
The accused stabber said the victim provoked him by shoving him but admitted that he chased him in an attempt to stab him a second time.
The Emirati accused, 19, was charged with attempted murder but did not enter a plea in court on Sunday. A verdict is due on October 13.
His two friends, aged under 18, were referred to Dubai Juvenile Court to face a similar charge.
