The 15-year-old boy who was stabbed to death by his classmate in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district on Friday after a dispute over homework died during treatment on Monday, officials familiar with the matter said.

The problem had developed into a civil war between Hindus and Muslims in the city.

Rajasthan Home Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham said, “The minor died despite all our efforts. It is a tragic incident on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. We have tried to heal him in the best possible way. My condolences to the victim’s family. The government will take strict action against the accused while we will support the victim’s family in all possible ways.”

Dr RL Suman, superintendent of MB Hospital, said, “The minor collapsed on Tuesday and his health suddenly deteriorated on Monday afternoon. The body has been sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy.”

On Friday, the two minors had an argument over homework, police officials said. “They had argued in the days before when the defendant asked for a copy of the homework, but the victim shared it with someone else.”

“When the two had a heated argument on Friday, the accused stabbed the victim, causing serious injuries in her abdomen,” said Udaipur Police Commissioner Yogesh Goyal.

The victim was admitted to the local Maharana Bhopal Government Hospital. Later, two special teams of doctors from Jaipur and Kota were also called in to treat him on Saturday.

A case has been registered against the accused under sections 109, 115 and 126 of the BNS. The minor accused and his father have been arrested, Goyal said, adding that the father was questioned for carrying a dagger to school.

The incident also led to communal clashes in the district. “A mob took to the streets, set several cars on fire and pelted stones, following which the administration imposed prohibitory orders and blocked the internet,” Goyal said.

Following the clashes, the police filed two charges against unknown persons and arrested 15 to 20 people by Sunday.

On Sunday, the victim’s family also protested, claiming that they were not allowed to meet the victim in the hospital. However, the police refuted this claim. “They killed my son. Now the administration is not allowing us to meet him,” the victim’s mother alleged while leading a rally by a group of 30-40 women from Mukherjee Nagar Chowk, an area predominantly populated by Muslims.

The protesters chanted slogans and approached the Maharana Bhupal (MB) Hospital, where the boy is being treated, demanding that his family be allowed to visit him. When District Collector Arvind Poswal reached the spot, an argument broke out between the two sides after the protesters claimed that the victim had succumbed to his injuries and the family was being kept in the dark.

“There was confusion as the family has no information about their child. They have been informed of all developments. The child’s condition is stable and medical teams from Kota and Jaipur are monitoring him,” Poswal said during the protest on Sunday.

“The family has protested based on rumours. We request everyone to stay away and cooperate with the police to restore peace in the area,” he added.

The victim’s family members have refused to accept the text that calls for the death penalty for the accused. Negotiations between the family and the administration are currently taking place in the emergency room of MB Hospital.

Meanwhile, police have deployed additional forces in the hospital area in view of further clashes, officials familiar with the matter said. The district administration had also imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita -BNS (formerly Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code -IPC) since Friday, while internet connectivity was also suspended on Monday.

On Saturday, the Udaipur administration demolished the accused’s tenement house, claiming it was built illegally on government land and the move was necessary “to send a message to the criminals”.

The owner of the house, Rashid Khan, received a notice just hours before the demolition. “I had nothing to do with this case. After the incident, I asked the family to leave the house,” Khan said.