Facebook dispute leads to alleged iron bar assault in Sharjah

Sharjah: An alleged dispute over a Facebook friendship request has resulted in severe head injuries for a grade 11 student, who is now recovering at the Kuwaiti Hospital in Sharjah.

The teenager was allegedly attacked with a steel rod by another boy and three of his friends, apparently for accepting friendship request from his girlfriend, a family member who requested anonymity told Gulf News last Wednesday.

The 16-year-old Indian victim lives on Al Wahda street and attends a prominent Indian school in the emirate.

The main accused used to go to the same school, but moved to the Elite English School in Dubai this year.

According to sources in the victim's family, the dispute arose when the girl allegedly sent a friendship request to several of her acquaintances after she moved to a different school.

When the alleged attacker saw his girlfriend among the list of the victim's friends on Facebook he flew into a rage.

Alleged demand

"Do not talk with my girlfriend, delete her name from your list," the accused demanded, according to the family member, to which the boy agreed.

The next day, the accused allegedly called the victim and asked to meet him near the Spinneys on King Faisal Road, where the suspect was waiting along with three others.

When the boy reached the spot at around 7.30pm on Monday last week, the four of them allegedly confronted him and left him in a pool of blood after beating him with a steel rod.

The teenager's skull was fractured amongst several other injuries.

The boy was found by a passer-by who called 999. He was rushed to the Kuwaiti Hospital.

The victim's father was at work when he was informed by police.

A case was then filed by the parents at Buhairah police station, and the boys were arrested.

All four accused have been released on bail but police have seized their passports.

The case has been transferred to the court.