Two tertiary students in China were injured in a brazen knife attack during a live stream on Tuesday, which left one of them without a hand.

The other student suffered injuries on his back, according to media reports.

The viral video was reportedly being streamed at Xiamen Huatian International Vocational and Technical College.

In the video, the two students are seen speaking to netizens, before a man dressed in a black shirt suddenly attacks them from the back.

The two students run away from the man and an object – which appears to be a hand – is flung in the video. The man then continues to chase after the two students.

Reports identified the two victims by their surnames Shi and Ye. The attack is believed to have happened in front of other students in the school.

Photos of the severed hand, which reportedly belonged to Mr Shi, were later circulated widely online. Some netizens questioned if the photos were authentic or if a prop was used.

However, videos later showed Mr Shi in an ambulance with his left arm heavily bandaged.

Local police said the students were slashed from the back with a knife at the school’s cafeteria at around 8.30pm on Tuesday, which left them with injuries on the back and hand respectively. Their injuries are not life-threatening, said the police.

The suspect, identified as Luo, fled the scene but was arrested on Wednesday. Luo had an argument with the two students and later attacked them, according to the investigation.

The case is still under probe.