Student claims assault by seniors

GURUN: A Form One student claimed he was beaten up by a group of senior students at a religious school in Pokok Tai, Pendang early morning today.
Muhammad Ammar Aqil Zainudin, 13, from Taman Ria Mesra here said he was attacked by the group between midnight and 1.30am at the seniors' room in the school dormitory.
The boy said he was beaten up by about 30 students for allegedly stealing a wallet containing RM60 which belonged to a Form Two student.
He said he found the wallet in the school field about 6.30pm last Friday (April 17) and decided to keep it before returning it to the owner.
"They (senior students) asked for the wallet and I gave it to them with the money, but they beat me up. They punched me all over the body, slapped my face, lashed out with a towel, burned my hair and shaved my head bald," he told reporters at his home today.
Muhammad Ammar said the senior students warned him not to report the matter to the school authorities and his parents or risk another beating.
Following the incident, he said he had to crawl back to his room as he was in a helpless state.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Ammar's uncle, Zahari Haris, 43, said the victim's father was unaware of the incident when he visited his son at 8am the same day.
He said the father then took him to the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani for a medical examination which found no internal injuries, although there was swelling and bruising on the thighs, face and back.
Zahari said a police report was subsequently lodged at the Gurun police station.
Pendang police chief DSP Abd Aziz Ahmad confirmed receiving a report on the incident.