An argument a 14-year-old boy had with his father to persuade him to get his mobile phone repaired ended in his death, police said here on Saturday.

The father of the boy assaulted him with a cricket bat and held him by neck and banged his head on the wall several times and only after he lost complete consciousness, they took him to the hospital where he was declared brought dead on November 15.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Lokesh B Jagalasar said there was a lot of dissatisfaction and clashes between the child and his parents over excessive use of mobile phone. Also, the parents were unhappy about him not attending school regularly and for associating with a 'bad group of friends.' The immediate cause for the assault, however, was about the mobile phone. Since his phone was not working, he has been requesting his parents to get it repaired. They did not agree and it led to an altercation and eventually the man beat his son to death, the official said.

"The assault has caused the death of the child and it was not a simple assault. Multiple injuries were found on the back of the child and head. The father who assaulted the child has been arrested and he is in police custody," he said adding a probe was on. The father was a carpenter by profession and his wife, the boy’s mother, was reportedly at home when the assault took place.

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