A class 12 student belonging to the SC community in Tirunelveli district was allegedly attacked by his classmates in an apparent fallout of previous enmity, even as Chief Minister M K Stalin expressed concern over "casteism poison" creeping into young minds.

The sister of the boy was also injured in the incident at Nanguneri when the assailants barged into their house and assaulted the victim, police said.

The incident was a fallout of a previous scuffle involving the victim and the assailants, they said. Six minors have been held in connection with the incident and all of them have been sent to a juvenile home, they added.

School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, expressing concern over the incident, said he would take responsibility for the expenses related to the medical treatment and education of the victims.

CM Stalin said the incident "sends down shivers." "It shows how much the casteism poison has crept into young students. It is intolerable to see such violence due to caste," he said in a tweet.

Law will take its own course in the case, he added.

It was the duty of all to teach the need for good social relations to students and the teaching community should take the lead in this connection, he added.

Hatred will lead us nowhere and there should not be any feeling of discrimination, he added.

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