Govt student dies during classroom fight in Arani; classmate held

CHENNAI: A 14-year-old boy died after he was allegedly hit by his classmate after an altercation between them turned physical at a Government boys' school at Arani in Tiruvallur district on Thursday.

On Friday, police arrested the teenager whose alleged assault led to the boy's death.

The deceased was identified as B Thamizhselvan, a resident of Periyapalayam, studying Class 9 at government boys school in Arani in Tiruvallur district.

On Thursday, during lunch, when the teachers were not in the classroom, Thamizhselvan and his classmate got into fisticuff, police said.

"The deceased student's classmates used to bully him with derogatory words, over which he got into a fight with them. The arguments escalated and the two students got into a brawl," said a senior police officer.

In the middle of the brawl, Thamizhselvan fell unconscious after which the other students informed the teachers. The school teachers and the administration moved Tamizhselvan to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Education department officials too reached the scene and conducted enquiries. On Friday, holiday was declared for the school after relatives of the deceased got together and protested outside Ponneri government hospital demanding immediate arrest of his classmate, who caused his death. Police pacified them promising action.

Investigations revealed that Thamizhselvan sustained an injury on his forehead, which is said to have caused his death. Tiruvallur district police registered a case under section 304 A (causing death due to negligence) of IPC (Indian Penal Code) and arrested the minor boy.

He was produced before the juvenile justice board and sent to a Government Observation Home in Chengalpattu.