A 16-year-old boy was arrested on Wednesday for beating his friend to death in Jogeshwari because he jokingly threatened to tell their tuition teacher that the boy had bunked classes for two days. The victim, Irfan Qureshi, and the accused studied in Class 10 at a school in Jogeshwari. Irfan’s father is a labourer at a diamond polishing unit and the accused’s father is a driver.

On Wednesday afternoon during the tuition class, Irfan teased the accused about bunking classes. The accused asked Irfan to keep quiet and the matter ended.

“After the class ended at 6pm, the accused was still angry and started beating Irfan, who collapsed. The teacher took him to Nanavati hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival,” said D Rupawate, senior inspector, Oshiwara police. The accused has been sent to a juvenile home.

Rahim Shah, who works with a sand supplier, was unloading bags when he noticed the boys fighting. “I stopped them and continued to work. The accused was well-built and kept punching Irfan in the stomach. When I returned a few minutes later, Irfan was lying unconscious,” he said.