Thiruvananthapuram: The spiralling violence among the youth in Kerala has claimed one more life when a 16-year-old boy studying in Class X was beaten to death by a group of students in Thamarassery in Kozhikode district over a minor incident.

Mohammed Shahabas was beaten to pulp by a gang of students on Friday and died on Saturday due to bleeding in the brain and lungs.

The clash reportedly occurred near a local tuition center between students from MJ Higher Secondary School and Government Higher Secondary School Thamarassery over a farewell party. Reports said that during the farewell party, there was a glitch in the sound system and some students who were on the stage performing a dance number were mocked.

Subsequently, a few students allegedly created a WhatsApp group, calling for others to gather at the junction where Shahabas, who allegedly mocked the performers, was surrounded by other students and beaten up. Teachers from the tuition center and locals intervened to stop the fight.

After the clash, Shahabas was taken home by some students. In the night he fell unconscious. He was then taken to Thamarassery Taluk Hospital and subsequently transferred to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital where he died.

Thamarassery police have arrested four high school students who were shifted to a juvenile observation centre. Minister for Public Education V Sivankutty has directed the Director of General Education to conduct an inquiry into the matter.