Ballari, March 8: A student died and seven others injured after a Class 9 child allegedly attacked fellow hostel inmates with an iron rod at a residential school on the outskirts of Ballari, police said.

Addressing reporters, Ballari Range Inspector General of Police P.S. Harsha said the incident took place at a Gurukul school late Saturday night.

"The incident occurred late last night at a Gurukul school on the outskirts of Ballari. Nine children were attacked by a boy known to them. Unfortunately, one boy died in the incident," Harsha said.

He added that the hostel warden was also attacked and sustained injuries, while a driver was also injured during the incident.

Harsha said teams of Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) have been rushed to the spot to collect evidence.

The accused in the case has been detained. The attacker and the victims were all acquaintances, he said.

According to police, the accused student allegedly assaulted fellow hostel inmates with an iron rod following a minor dispute. The attack reportedly took place after dinner when the students were asleep in the hostel.

One student succumbed to severe injuries while others were injured in the assault. The injured were rushed to the Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) hospital in Ballari for treatment.

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Police said the accused allegedly struck multiple students with a iron rod and also attacked the hostel warden before fleeing the spot.

Meanwhile, the victim's family questioned the school management's version of the incident. While the school authorities described it as an iron rod attack, the family alleged that the boy may have been stabbed with a knife and demanded a thorough investigation.

The parents also alleged that the accused student might be a drug addict and held the school administration responsible for the tragedy, questioning how such a violent incident could occur inside a hostel.

Police have registered a case and further investigation is underway.

--IANS