A stabbing victim has become the 23rd teenager to die violently in London this year, a tally only four fewer than the total for the whole of last year.

At about the same time, a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death in Manchester outside a house party.

Nilanthan Murddi, 17, who was stabbed once in the neck in Croydon, South London, appears to have been attacked by a man who had previously had an argument with some of his friends in the early hours of Saturday. Police arrested a 31-year-old man of Tamil origin in Croydon. He was later released on police bail.

In Manchester, Conor Black, of Moston, was found on a grass verge just after 2am after being fatally wounded by a single stab wound to his left shoulder.

A 16-year-old boy was last night arrested on suspicion of murder. Detective Superintendent Shaun Donnellan said that Conor had no means of defence. He said that two knives had been found and were being tested for DNA and fingerprints.

The latest deaths come as the Government and police are under pressure to quell fears over the rising tide of knife crime.

Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, will today meet members of the England football team, who will urge young people not to carry knives.

Of the 23 teenagers to die violently in the capital this year, 16 have been stabbed to death, three shot and three beaten. One bled to death after being cut with a shard of glass.

A source told The Times that Nilanthan Murddi was “an innocent young man with no gang affiliations”.

Police and paramedics were called to the scene after reports of a fight involving several men. When they arrived they found that Nilanthan had a serious stab wound to his neck. He died a short time later in hospital.

Detective Chief Inspector Tim Grattan-Kane, who is leading the inquiry, said that police wanted to trace a mini-cab driver who was carrying the suspect. It is believed that the car stopped near Nilanthan and his friends and, although the suspect did not get out, he opened the door and argued with the group.

The blue Ford Mondeo drove off, but the suspect returned about 20 minutes later and had another argument. A fight broke out and Nilanthan was stabbed. Mr Grattan-Kane said: “We really need to trace the driver of the cab, as he may hold the key to the identity of the suspect.”

Last night Nilanthan’s family paid tribute to him saying, “every day, every second we will be thinking of him”. The teenager’s sister Santhiya, 18, said that his parents were “destroyed”. His mother, Kalaimagal Moorthy, flew back from a trip to India on hearing the news.

Nilanthan had been studying maths and English A levels at Langley Park Girls’ School, which has places for boys in the sixth form, but he left to help in the family business, where he worked as a waiter.

“He was energetic, always giving a helping hand whenever it was needed,” his sister said.

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