RAMANATHAPURAM: Three class 12 students who were staying in the government-run social justice students' hostel at Sethupathi Nagar in the district have been dismissed from the facility after they attacked a class 7 boy and circulated the video of the incident online recently. A total of 63 students from different communities are staying in the hostel and attending classes in nearby schools.

According to sources, on the night of November 10, a class 7 student allegedly tore the record book of a class 12 student. Infuriated, three class 12 boys reportedly attacked him.

The incident was recorded by a boy on his mobile phone and it was recently released in social media. Sources said the Class 7 student belongs to a Scheduled Tribe community while his attackers are from caste Hindu communities.

The next morning (November 11), the hostel warden informed officials of the district child welfare committee and the backward classes welfare department.  A team of officials visited the hostel and conducted an inquiry. 

Sources said the officials found out during the investigation that the assault stemmed from the tearing of the record book. Sources added that the officials also investigated if there was a caste angle behind the incident and found out there was none.

Subsequently, parents of all four students were summoned to the hostel and apology letters were obtained from the students. Three students who attacked the class 7 boy, were removed from the hostel.

Official sources said no complaint has been filed so far, hence no case has been registered. An official from the district backward classes welfare department, who is enquiring about the incident, reiterated that the issue was not communal in nature.