The young man stabbed to death at the Solid Grooves festival in Amsterdam’s western harbour area on Sunday may have been helping a friend of his sister, the Parool reported on Tuesday.

Jimmy Schepers, 21 and from Diemen, died of his injuries in hospital. He and two others were stabbed during a fight which broke out in the festival grounds. One of them remains in hospital.

Three men, all aged 20 and all from Amsterdam, have been arrested in connection with the incident. Two were picked up at the festival, the other in the centre of Amsterdam on Monday evening.

According to Parool sources, a group of youngsters were robbing people at the festival and may have been threatening their victims with knives. The Telegraaf also suggests robbery may have been a motive.

The festival organisers told the paper they had no idea what had happened and were completely reliant on the police for information. They said they had opted to let the festival continue after the stabbing to avoid panic.