MELAKA: Nineteen secondary school students are among 23 men arrested by the police for allegedly rioting in an incident at Pantai Puteri, Tanjung Kling here last March 29.

Melaka police chief Datuk Zainol Samah said all of them were arrested in stages in Tanjung Kling, Malim and Tanjung Minyak between 2 pm and 9 pm last Wednesday (April 3).

He said the 19 students, from several secondary schools in Tanjung Kling, were arrested following an incident where a 15-year-old student sustained bruises all over his body and face after being beaten by a group of men.

“Preliminary investigations found a fight broke out between two groups, believed over a misunderstanding involving an old incident. The police also seized three helmets and wooden sticks believed to have been used in the incident and have recorded statements from all the suspects,” he said in a statement here today.

The police are investigating the case under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting. The law provides imprisonment for up to five years or a fine or both upon conviction.

Yesterday, a 4.09-minute video of the alleged fight went viral on social media.

The grandmother of the 15-year-old victim had filed a police report on the incident at the Tanjung Kling Police Station on March 31.