VELLORE: In a gruesome incident, a 13-year-old boy was beaten to death by two of his school mates after a dispute over mobile phone turned ugly, near Labbakrishnapuram on Wednesday evening.
According to Latheri police, P Santhosh, a Class VIII student of the Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Poigai, reportedly went out with two of his friends, a classmate and another student from Class IX student, after their classes got over.
The trio went to an isolated place near Sozhambur lake on Kothamangalam Road at Labbakrishnapuram around 5.30pm and reportedly launched a tirade over a mobile phone.
Santhosh is said to have handed over his `6,000 valued smart phone to one of his friends in exchange of money a few days back. However, this friend, who received the phone, failed to pay the committed amount.
Angry over this, Santhosh confronted his friend on Wednesday to demand the money. Irked over this, the friend, along with a Class IX student, took Santhosh to an isolated place and engaged in heated arguments. Soon, the verbal dual turned violent and the two boys allegedly brutally beaten Santhosh leading to his death.
Meanwhile, Santhosh’s father Parthiban was searching frantically for his son, but in vain. On Thursday morning, he met the school head master and inquired about his Santhosh. Upon brief enquiries with a few students, it was found out that Santhosh had left school with two of his friends on the previous evening.
Upon questioning, one of the boys who was involved in the incident revealed that they had beaten Santhosh at an isolated place. Soon, the parents and villagers launched a search and found the boy’s corpse near Sozhambur lake. The boy was in uniforms with his school bag around the shoulder. There were two deep cuts on the back of his head. The body was sent for autopsy.
The police have already detained one of the students involved in the crime. A search is on for the other student.